Africa’s 100m Record Holder Ferdinand Omanyala Inducted into the Police Service

Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala Omurwa has joined the National Police Service (NPS).

Omanyala, who is Africa’s 100m record holder, was inducted into the service by Inspector-General of Police Hilary Mutyambai at police headquarters in Nairobi on Friday.

The 25-year-old took a new role that will see him represent the police service in track events in the future.

“It is an honor to serve the National Police Service and I promise to give my best as an athlete. I also understand that there is life after sprinting,” he said during the ceremony.

Omanyala, a second-year student at the University of Nairobi, broke Africa’s 100m record at the Kip Keino Classics held at the Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi in September.

He clocked 9.77 seconds, smashing the previous record of 9.85 seconds held by Akani Simbine of South Africa. This also made him the eighth fastest sprinter of all time in the 100m event.

Omanyala represented Kenya at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where he finished third in the semi-finals in 10.01 seconds.

He joins other elite athletes who represent the police service in sports events including David Rudisha, Joshua Kamworor, Vivian Cheruiyot, Julius Yego, and Ezekiel Kemboi.