Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa's Fastest Man, Graduates as a Police Constable

Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala on Tuesday graduated as a police constable from Kiganjo Police Training College.

Omanyala, who is the African record holder and 8th fastest man of all-time in the 100 meters, was among the 2,881 recruits who graduated at an event presided over by President Ruto.  

The 27-year-old athlete joined the police force in 2021 after he agreed to compete in track events for the National Police Service (NPS).

“The 25-year-old sensational sprinter has taken up a new role that will see him represent the National Police Service in future track events,” NPS said in a statement.

At the 2020 Summer Olympics Games 100 meters semi-final, Omanyala set a new national record of 10.00 seconds.

He then then ran a new personal best of 9.86 seconds in Austria in August 2022, becoming the first Kenyan to ever break the 10-second barrier.

In September 2021, he ran a 9.77 (+1.2 m/s) for a new African record at the Absa Kip Keino Classic held in Nairobi.

Omanyala won Kenya’s first gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth games in Birmingham, becoming the first Kenyan to win a gold medal in the 100 meter race.