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NAIROBI - Ferdinand Omurwa Omanyala broke the 9.85s record set by South Africa's Akani Simbine in July when the Kenyan sprinter ran 9.77s at the Kip Keino Classic meeting in Nairobi on Saturday.
"Whenever I run these fast times, people talk but for me it is about myself − I am not running for anybody else," said the 25-year-old athlete in an interview with BBC South Africa.
Despite finishing second to USA's Trayvon Bromell, who set a new personal best of 9.76s, Ferdinand’s time makes him the eighth-fastest man of all time.
Ferdinand, who started his athletics career in 2016, served a 14-month doping ban in 2017 after returning a positive drugs test for a banned substance, which he says was in a painkiller he took.
"I felt I was a victim of circumstance," he explained. "It was a painkiller and then it turned out it had a steroid in it, and that (experience) is what shaped me to be the person that I am today."
"It gave me resilience, made me stronger − because it is a challenge no athlete would want to go through − and it is a lesson that you shouldn't just take anything, and you shouldn't just trust anyone in athletics."
"It has been hard but for me but let us put the past in the past. We forgive, forget and move on. I am that guy who lives in the moment. It has been a tough journey starting off in 2016 − injuries, then the ban − but all that is now in the past. We are creating the future."
Insisting he can go faster, the former-rugby-player-turned-sprinter has set his target for under 9.70s, which is a feat only achieved by the legendary Usain Bolt of Jamaica, his compatriot Yohan Blake and USA's Tyson Gay.
"There is no limit in possibilities," he smiled, claiming that he could perhaps even come close to Usain’s world record of 9.58s.
In the past seven months, Ferdinand has not only reached the 100m semi-finals at his first Olympics, he has also set a new Kenyan record of 10.00s, one of five personal best records achieved over this time period.
"I have been improving in every race because I have been running so many competitions this year," he says. "That is what I am going to do next year, and I will start early, maybe in March. By June, we should be expecting very fast times."
Ferdinand aims to inspire a future generation of Kenyan sprinters in a country known for its exceptional middle and long-distance runners.
"My biggest prayer is in the next five years we have more (Ferdinand) Omanyalas, more kids who can sprint, because I am the first one who tried to struggle my way and get to the top," he says.
"I know there are many people who can sprint fast, in football and rugby, so if we can get 10 sprinters, Kenya will have achieved something.
"They now believe it can happen because most of the people that were getting into sprints were discouraged by their parents or other people saying, 'you can't go anywhere with sprints in Kenya'. But now people believe this can be done.
"Now, I want to open a sprinting club and encourage young sprinters to train and see where they can go."
Former Olympic and world champion, Justin Gatlin, who finished just behind Ferdinand on Saturday, believes that Ferdinand, Akani and the likes of Nigeria's Enoch Adegoke, who reached the Olympic 100m final, will inspire more Africans to succeed in field events.
"The talent in Africa sprinting is great," he told BBC Sport Africa.
"The world sees African athletes as just distance runners, but now you have javelin throwers, jumpers, sprinters, so I think it has shown the world it has more than just distance talent.
"That is a great thing to have. I have always believed that Africa has more to give to the world than what they have already." – Agencies, September 22, 2021
Top Ten Fastest Men in History
1. Usain Bolt (Jamaica): 9.58s
2. Tyson Gay (USA): 9.69s
3. Yohan Blake (Jamaica): 9.69s
4. Asafa Powell (Jamaica): 9.72s
5. Justin Gatlin (USA): 9.74s
6. Christian Coleman (USA): 9.76s
7. Trayvon Bromell (USA): 9.76s
8. Ferdinand Omanyala (Kenya): 9.77s
9. Nesta Carter (Jamaica): 9.78s
10. Maurice Greene (USA): 9.79s
