New Era for Kenyan Sprinters as Omanyala Sprint Club is Launched in Kajiado

By : Mweru Mbugua 

Kenyan sprinting has received a significant boost with the launch of the Omanyala Sprint Club at Merishaw School in Isinya, Kajiado County

The club was officially launched on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, under the Omanyala Foundation, an initiative aimed at nurturing young sprinting talent in the country. Merishaw School is the first beneficiary of the program

The foundation operates on three key pillars, with talent development at its core, ensuring that every aspiring sprinter has a fair chance to reach their full potential

Through the initiative, the foundation seeks to identify, mentor, and develop young athletes by providing structured pathways from school-level competitions to elite athletics

This includes establishing sprint clubs in schools, training specialized coaches, and offering professional mentorship opportunities

A standout feature of the Merishaw project is that the sprint club will be mentored by Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa’s fastest man, giving students a rare chance to train directly under one of the continent’s top sprinters

Merishaw School Games Master, Kipkirui Sang, said the partnership with Omanyala was inspired by his international reputation and success

“We decided to partner with Omanyala because he is a brand. He is recognized nationally and internationally, and we associate him with success

He will be a mentor to our young students,” Sang said

Omanyala will begin working with the school next term, starting with internal trials to identify students with sprinting potential

“We will conduct trials for our students next term. After identifying those eligible for the sprint club, the coaches will step in,” he explained

Sang added that the foundation will deploy a team of coaches to work alongside local trainers, ensuring the proper development of identified talents

“Depending on the competitiveness of the athletes, we will eventually expose them to bigger platforms

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This program answers the question: what comes after school?” Sang noted, adding that many students struggle to progress after Grade 12 despite their talent

The initiative seeks to bridge that gap by providing exposure, scholarships, and career pathways through athletics

Omanyala emphasized that the initiative was born out of his desire to secure the future of Kenyan sprinting beyond his competitive career

“We launched this sprint club at Merishaw School, the first beneficiary of the Omanyala Foundation, to ensure that more sprinters emerge in future championships,” Omanyala said

“I don’t want to leave a gap. That is the essence of the sprint club we aim to recruit as many sprinters as possible and give them a clear career pathway,” he added