Ferdinand Omanyala, the fastest man in Africa has completed his training as a police constable in Kenya. He was one of 2,881 constables who graduated from the National Police College on Tuesday, at an event presided over by President William Ruto.
According to the National Police Service, the recruits completed the basic police training course as well as courses on human rights, community policing, public order management, firearms proficiency, and fighting violent extremism.
Ferdinand Omanyala joins other prominent Kenyan athletes who are also police officers. In a tweet, the athlete revealed his new status:
Ferdinand Omanyala was born in Hamisi as the third son of Dishon and Adelaide Omurwa. He started his athletics career in Kenya in 2015 as a chemistry student at the University of Nairobi when a friend saw his quickness while playing rugby. Ferdinand Omanyala switched from rugby to track and only a few weeks later ran a 10.4s in his first AK meet in Kakamega. The same year, he won the national Olympic trials for the 100m in 10.37 seconds, but he never met the qualification mark for the Olympics, which was 10.16 seconds at the time.
Following a doping offense in 2017, Ferdinand Omanyala was suspended for 14 months. He tested positive for the illegal drug betamethasone after receiving treatment for a back injury sustained while training.
Omanyala set the African 100m record in September 2021 with a time of 9.77 seconds. He broke South African Akani Simbine’s previous record of 9.84 seconds.
In June 2022, Ferdinand Omanyala was crowned African champion, becoming only the second Kenyan to do so over the distance.
Omanyala, like former African 100m record holder Olusoji Fasuba of Nigeria, who left track and field to join the Royal British Navy, remained silent when asked if he was done running.