Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, has explained why he did not race American streamer IShowSpeed during the content creator’s recent visit to Nairobi.
Speaking on Monday, Omanyala said the proposed exhibition run needed to meet professional and commercial standards.
Omanyala said he was willing to participate, but only under conditions that respected his athletic career and the sponsorship agreements that sustain it.
He emphasised that he is a professional sprinter, not an online influencer and therefore cannot engage in casual races that risk injury or undermine his contractual obligations.
“I am not an influencer man, I do this for money and I have big companies like Adidas and Toyota. These guys are paying me because of running,” he said.
“For Speed, after that run, God forbid he gets an injury, he still continues in the streams even with crutches. But for me, what happens? I need to earn from running so that’s why I need to cover my bases.”
The sprinter added that the race needed to be treated seriously, with proper preparation, structures and a competitive format.
He dismissed suggestions of a short, impromptu run, insisting that any exhibition must reflect the standards required in professional athletics.
“If we’re running, man, it has to be serious. I’m not doing 50 metres, I’m not doing 60 metres,” he said.
“So if he comes, he has to rest, we have to do a proper one. If we’re doing it, it’s serious business. There’s no jokes about it.”
Omanyala said he expected the race to take place in a packed stadium, allowing both fans and young athletes to experience a memorable event.
“We’re setting blocks and we’re running in a stadium with fans and something that will be exciting,” he said.
“So many kids want to see him and they want to see me race against him. It will be a good exhibition run in a stadium, something for remembrance.”
He added that even if the race did not happen this time, he still hoped to interact with the American streamer in future.
“If not running, we can plan that. If not, just hang out even if it’s for 10 or 20 minutes, just have a chat,” he said.
Omanyala said he remains open to a future exhibition run with IShowSpeed, provided the event is properly organised and aligns with his professional obligations.
IShowSpeed was in Kenya for two days, where he livestreamed on Sunday.
His broadcast peaked at over eight million viewers worldwide, gaining more than 360,000 new subscribers in a day.
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