Running News Daily

Ferdinand Omanyala's track rival hoping to bounce back as he eyes Olympic title

Ferdinand Omanyala's Italian track rival hopes to make a grand return this season as he gears up to defend his Olympic title in Paris, France.

Ferdinand Omanyala’s track rival Marcel Jacobs had a poor run last season due to a bout of injuries but the Italian hopes to make a strong comeback this season.

Jacobs, the reigning Olympic champion made a few changes at the end of last season where he parted ways with his coach Paolo Camossi who guided him to the 100m title at the delayed 2020 Olympic Games.

At the time, Jacobs had yet to decide on his new coach but noted that he would be leaving Rome where he had been based. Last season, he competed in four 100m races and failed to clock a sub-10 in all four and also failed to win any of the 100m races.

His final race last season was the Memorial Borisa Hanžekovića in Croatia where he finished third and he hopes to bounce back this season as he gears up to defend his Olympic title.

The Italian has also skipped the indoor tour this season, a move that is unlike him since he is usually a frequent competitor during the indoor races.

As per World Athletics, Jacobs will head straight to the outdoor season where he intends to open his season at the Ostrava Golden Spike for the first time as he works towards the European Championships on home soil.

As per World Athletics, Jacobs will head straight to the outdoor season where he intends to open his season at the Ostrava Golden Spike for the first time as he works towards the European Championships on home soil.

Ferdinand Omanyala ditches his coach weeks after Fred Kerley and Marcel Jacobs did the same

Ferdinand Omanyala has changed his coach as he gears up for the 2024 busy season.

Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala has joined former World champion Fred Kerley and Olympic champion Marcel Jacobs in changing coaches ahead of the Olympic Games in Paris, France.

Omanyala was initially working with coach Duncan Ayiemba. Still, he has since started working with coach Geoffrey Kimani as he gears up for the Olympic Games and a busy 2024 season.

Speaking to Pulse Sports Kenya exclusively, Omanyala shared that he will only be working with Kimani and he extended a hand of gratitude to Ayiemba who has also played a vital role in his career.

He said: “I will be working only with Geoffrey Kimani. I really appreciate what Duncan has done over the years.”

His new coach, Kimani, shared his excitement to have taken up the role of coaching Omanyala. In a post on his X (Twitter) handle, he said: “New Dawn...Back on track, and greatly honoured to take up the role of Sprints Coach to Ferdinand Omanyala through a busy 2024 season.

We will be kicking off the season with the World Indoors in March 2024... Onto the hard work!”

Omanyala has already started light training ahead of the Olympic Games where he has promised to improve on his World Championships performance.

Meanwhile, the 27-year-old has had a quite mixed season in 2023. He started off with an indoor tour which was a success.

He also competed in the Diamond League Meetings where he finished in the podium bracket in all the races. Omanyala also made history as the first Kenyan to win the 100m at the Diamond League Meeting when he won the Meeting in Monaco.

At the World Championships, he had a good start in the Heats and semifinal and faltered in the final to finish seventh. He has promised to work harder and not disappoint his fans ahead of beginning the 2024 season.

Dina Asher-Smith is changing coach ahead of Olympic Games

Dina Asher-smith shared that she had parted ways with her coach John Blackie and will now be guided by Edrick Floreal ahead of the Olympic Games.

Great Britain’s sprint sensation Dina Asher-Smith has joined Fred Kerley and Marcel Jacobs in changing coaches.

She made the announcement in a post on her Instagram page, noting that she has parted ways with her coach, John Blackie who has worked with her since she was eight.

As reported by BBC, the 27-year-old will now be coached by Edrick Floreal and based in Austin, Texas.

Her decision comes after her poor run at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary where she left with no medal. She finished eighth in the 100m final and seventh in the 200m.

She said: "After 19 years, John Blackie and I have ended our coach-athlete partnership. My life changed by meeting him and I will forever be grateful to him.

His intellect, patience, and dedication have taken me from an energetic eight-year-old to a world champion with over 20 international medals and many Olympics, World, Commonwealth, and European finals.

John and I will, of course, remain close friends. Thank you to John and thank you to all my team in London whose talents and hard work have helped me realise so many dreams to date.

My next chapter will be led by Edrick Floreal based out of Austin, Texas. I'm very excited to join his talented training group as we head to Paris 2024."

Under Blackie, the Briton cemented her place as one of the greatest sprinters of all time. She bagged the 100m bronze medals at the most recent two Olympics - in Rio 2016 and in Tokyo five years later - and won 200m gold at the 2019 World Championships in Doha.

Marcel Jacobs and Fred Kerley make coaching changes ahead of Olympic Games

Fred Kerley and Marcel Jacobs failed to impress at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, something that might have forced them to change coaches.

Reigning Olympic champion Marcel Jacobs has landed a new coach ahead of his title defense campaign at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.

Changing coaches will also see him relocate from his home country of Italy to Florida. According to NBC Sport, the 28-year-old will be coached by Rana Reider.

Reider’s athlete group in Jacksonville has included 2022 World 100m bronze medalist Trayvon Bromell.

Previously, the Italian was coached by Paolo Camossi for several years. The tactician guided Jacobs to take the delayed 2020 Olympic title in the 100m and it is clear Jacobs will not be working with him as he gears up to defend his Olympic title.

On his part, Reider is a controversial coach who has landed himself in trouble most of the time. In May this year, Reider agreed to serve one year of probation, while continuing to coach, in resolving a case with the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

The center handles allegations of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse in Olympic and Paralympic sports. The center has not published details of Reider’s case.

The attorney wrote that Reider acknowledged a “consensual romantic relationship with an adult athlete.” The attorney wrote that “Reider was not found in violation of any other sexual misconduct claims” and that his case was closed.

Meanwhile, former World Champion Fred Kerley also indicated in social media posts that he is now being coached by 1992 Olympic 400m gold medalist Quincy Watts.

Kerley was also eliminated in the 100m semifinals at last month’s World Championships and will be seeking a comeback next year.

“Choosing to make changes is always risky, even riskier during a year like the Olympics. I felt that I needed to bet on myself.

I needed to prove to myself that I was all in and that meant seeking the guidance of COACH WATTS I’m entrusting him to bring out the best version of myself in the most important athletic year of my career. Ya’ll ready?” the post read.

Kerley, 28, has trained under Grenada’s Alleyne Francique since he sprinted for Texas A&M. Watts, an assistant at USC, also coaches Olympic and world 400m hurdles medalist Rai Benjamin.