Omanyala urges quick reopening of stadia as track season unfolds

Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, has called for the urgent re-opening of Nyayo National Stadium to athletes as the track and field season gathers pace.
Kenya’s two major stadiums—Nyayo and Kasarani—remain closed for renovations ahead of the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), leaving athletes scrambling for proper training venues.
With the World Indoor Championships set to begin in Nanjing, China, from 21-23 March, followed by the World Relays in Guangzhou in 10-11 May, many athletes have been forced to train on murram tracks—far from ideal for elite-level preparation.
The 2022 Commonwealth 100m champion, expressed his frustration over the prolonged stadium closures, warning that the lack of tartan tracks is hurting the sprinters.
“Kasarani was shut down last year and now Nyayo is also closed. That leaves us with no proper training facilities,” Omanyala stated.
“It’s frustrating because these renovations have dragged on for too long. It’s already March and athletes are still training on murram yet they’ll soon be competing against rivals who have been sharpening their speed on proper tartan tracks.”
Omanyala urged the government to give athletics the attention it deserves, noting that track and field has consistently brought global glory to Kenya.
“The government is heavily prioritizing football. I’m not saying football shouldn’t get support, but let’s not forget athletics, which has put Kenya on the world map for decades,” he said.
“If the government can work closely with Athletics Kenya, we can elevate the sport even further.”
Currently, Omanyala is gearing up for the 2025 season at Kenyatta University’s track, which he considers a lifeline.
“This facility came in at the right time. I was talking to my coach and we agreed that without it, we wouldn’t know where to train. Many sprinters have been forced onto murram tracks, which isn’t ideal for high-performance training.”
Beyond Nyayo and Kasarani, Omanyala called for the speedy completion of the Kip Keino Stadium in Eldoret, a hub for Kenya’s athletics heritage.
“The government should at least renovate the training track at Kasarani to help us in the meantime. Kip Keino Stadium, being at the heart of athletics in this country, should have been ready by now to offer alternatives.”
Omanyala, an Olympics semi-finalist, is set to compete in his first international race of the season at the ASA Grand Prix 1 in South Africa on Wednesday evening after opting to skip the indoor season to focus on outdoor events.
He will be up against fellow Kenyan Mark Otieno. Competition will also come from South African Sprinters Erasmus Emile, Adams Luxolo, and Letebele Karabo, Zimbabwe’s Makusha Ngoni and Botswana’s Boitshwarelo Mothusi.
National sprints coach Stephen Mwaniki echoed Omanyala’s concerns, emphasizing that murram tracks cannot provide the traction necessary for explosive sprints.
“For sprinters, traction is everything. Without proper grip between the shoe and the track, you can’t generate the power needed for acceleration,” Mwaniki explained.
Traction is the grip between the runner’s shoe and track, crucial for propulsion and acceleration. The tactician highlighted the severity of closure of the Nyayo stadium noting that it’s tartan track has markers crucial for events such as the relays.
“For the World Relay Championships, there are markers given by World Athletics, where athletes exchange the batons which only the Nyayo Stadium has. So without it, we can’t have proper training for the Relays,” Mwaniki emphasized. “The Ministry must act fast and work with the government to ensure these facilities are reopened.”
He further urged authorities to construct more stadiums, particularly in regions with strong sprinting potential, such as the Coast: “The Coastal region is perfect for sprinters. Completing Mbaraki Stadium would ease overreliance on the few existing facilities.”