Ferdinand Omanyala’s disappointing performance at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, where he finished seventh in the 100 meters final with a time of 10.07 seconds, raised a lot of questions. Omanyala, who had been a top contender and was chasing history for Africa, struggled to replicate the form that saw him run a 9.97 seconds personal best in the heats, finishing just behind American sprint star Noah Lyles. However, former coach Duncan Ayiemba has opened up about the behind-the-scenes challenges that may have contributed to Omanyala’s underwhelming performance.
According to Ayiemba, he had been working with Omanyala leading up to the championship, and everything appeared to be in order. Omanyala was in great shape and had even run an impressive time in the heats, which had fans optimistic about his chances in the semifinals and final. However, things took a turn shortly after the heats. Ayiemba, who had been with Omanyala throughout his training, fell seriously ill and had to be hospitalized in Budapest. This left Omanyala without his trusted coach when it mattered most, during the critical rounds of the competition.
Ayiemba was admitted to a military hospital in Budapest, and his absence from Omanyala’s semifinal and final runs could have had a significant impact on the sprinter’s performance. The coach himself reflected on this after the fact, questioning whether his absence had contributed to the disappointing result. Ayiemba’s concerns were valid, as he had always been a vital part of Omanyala’s preparation, providing guidance and ensuring that everything went smoothly leading up to the competition.
But the challenges didn’t stop there. Ayiemba revealed that there were also issues with the support team, particularly regarding the presence of a new physio. The coach had been clear with Omanyala about the importance of sticking with the physio that he had worked with in the past. However, Omanyala chose to bring along a new physio, a decision that Ayiemba was uncomfortable with. The new physio was someone Ayiemba had never met before and had no experience working with Omanyala, which raised concerns about how this could affect his performance.
Ayiemba had always trusted the previous physio to understand Omanyala’s specific needs and help him perform at his best. With the new physio, there was a sense that the preparation was not as seamless as it should have been. Ayiemba was reportedly “surprised” when he learned that Omanyala had brought the new physio to the competition, as it contradicted the coach’s advice. Despite the coach’s misgivings, Omanyala chose to go ahead with the change, and the results were evident in his performance.
After the World Championships, Ayiemba and Omanyala were supposed to have a conversation to reflect on what went wrong and why the performance didn’t match expectations. However, this conversation never took place. Instead, Omanyala made the decision to completely change his team, opting to work with a new coach, Geoffrey Kimani. Ayiemba, who had played such a crucial role in Omanyala’s career up until that point, was left bewildered by the decision. He still doesn’t fully understand why Omanyala chose to make such a drastic change, especially after the challenges they had faced together in Budapest.
While Omanyala’s move to work with a new coach may have been motivated by the desire for fresh perspectives and strategies, Ayiemba’s insights suggest that a series of factors—including his illness, the change in the support team, and the switch in physios—may have contributed to the unexpected outcome at the World Championships. With the benefit of hindsight, Ayiemba’s reflections offer a glimpse into the complexities that athletes and coaches face when preparing for high-stakes events.
