Ferdinand Omanyala’s hopes of retaining his Commonwealth Games 100m title were dashed by the Glasgow rain on Tuesday night as Kenya’s sprint king crashed out at the semi-final stage.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsOmanyala, who arrived in Scotland hoping to successfully defend the crown he won in Birmingham four years ago, struggled to find his trademark burst on a wet Scotstoun Stadium track and finished sixth in his semi-final in 10.19 seconds.##NAJAVA_MECA_9868144##The African record holder, who had been among the biggest attractions in the athletics programme, was unable to match the pace set by Nigeria’s Kanyinsola Ajayi, who stormed to victory in 9.94 seconds. Wales’ Jeremiah Azu claimed the second automatic qualification slot after clocking 10.00 seconds.For Omanyala, it was a frustrating end to a title defence that had carried huge expectations, with the Kenyan admitting the cold and rainy conditions affected his performance.“Let’s just say the body refused to fire, so there’s nothing we can do about it. I’m not good at running in the rain. It just happened, so we have to process that,” Omanyala said after the race.Court slaps Shabana with Ksh2.2 million fineThe 30-year-old revealed he had entered the competition in good shape but failed to reproduce that form when it mattered most.“The warm-up was great, but coming out here and running that time is a bit of a disappointment. I have never been able to train in the rain, and I don’t like the rain, so that got into my head.”Omanyala’s exit brought an abrupt end to his four-year reign as Commonwealth champion and left Kenya without a representative in the men’s 100m final.Abud Omar on how Tusker can topple Rayon Sports to boost Kagame Cup semis chancesCompatriot Meshack Babu had earlier bowed out after finishing eighth in the opening semi-final in 10.39 seconds, while South Africa’s Bradley Nkoana was disqualified for a false start in Omanyala’s race.Despite the disappointment, Omanyala remained proud of the progress made by African sprinters, with the continent increasingly making its mark in a discipline historically dominated by other regions.“The men’s 100m is like the second round of the African Championships. At least you have a lot of African representation. I’m happy with the growth of sprinting in Africa. It’s building the next generation, and we started it.”The Kenyan also backed an African athlete to win the final, confidently saying “definitely” when asked whether the continent could produce another Commonwealth champion.Looking beyond Glasgow, Omanyala said the 2026 season was about rebuilding after a difficult 2025 campaign, with the Commonwealth Games title among his main targets.PREVIEW: Tusker FC face Rayon Sports in must-win CECAFA Kagame Cup showdown“This season was a season of restoration. Commonwealth was one of the goals that we were chasing, but we’ve missed it. I need to go back and soak it in.”The loss marks a setback for Kenya’s most decorated male sprinter, but Omanyala insists the journey continues as he shifts focus towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.Can Kakamega Homeboyz' great gamble on veterans land maiden league title?
89