Otieno plots sprint renaissance as Relays and Continental glory beckon

Mark Otieno at the AK Combined trials/ TEDDY MULEI

Former national record holder Mark Otieno is bullish about storming back to the summit of Kenya’s sprint ranks with a commanding campaign at the World Relays and the African Senior Championships.

Before Ferdinand Omanyala’s meteoric rise, Otieno was Kenya’s undisputed sprint king over the 100m. He etched his name into the record books in 2017, blazing to a national record of 10.14 at the national championships. This mark stood firm for four years until March 2021, when Omanyala stormed to 10.01 in Nigeria.

Later that same year, Omanyala took sprinting into uncharted territory, clocking a blistering 9.77, still the fastest time ever recorded on African soil.

Otieno looked razor-sharp at the Athletics Kenya (AK) Combined Trials held at the Ulinzi Sports Complex last weekend, signalling a resurgence that could shake up the national pecking order.

The 32-year-old clocked 10.36 seconds in the men’s 100m final, settling for second place behind Ronald Koech, who edged the win in 10.35. Moses Wasike completed the podium in 10.43.

That performance was enough to seal Otieno’s ticket to the African Championships set for May 12–17 in Accra, Ghana, where he will link up with Koech and Wasike to spearhead Kenya’s 100m charge.

The experienced sprinter has also earned a place in Kenya’s World Relays squad, joining a star-studded cast of nine other national speed merchants tasked with delivering in both the 4x100m and mixed 4x100m relays.

The formidable line-up features Koech, Wasike, Dennis Mwai, Elkana Sabila, Meshack Babu, Ferdinand Omanyala, Samuel Chege and Steve Odhiambo. Buoyed by his showing at the trials, Otieno described the outing as the perfect springboard for what he believes could be his finest season yet.

“Out of all my years in athletics, 2026 has been the best start to a season so far. The trials have been special,” Otieno said. Still, the seasoned sprinter admitted he had his sights set on an even quicker time. “10.36 is not bad, but I wanted to go faster than that. I knew my body was ready.”

With the season gathering pace, Otieno has firmly fixed his gaze on delivering on the big stage, with the World Relays, African Championships and Commonwealth Games forming the cornerstone of his ambitions. “My main targets for the season are the Commonwealth Games, African Championships and World Relays,” he added.

Beyond the major championships, the veteran speedster is keen to fine-tune his form in other race circuits as he builds momentum. “I have a couple of races coming up, so it’s just about locking in mentally and executing what I’ve been working on in training.”

Otieno will get his first litmus test this weekend at the Addis Ababa Grand Prix, where he is set to double up in the 100m and 200m—a crucial gauge of his race sharpness. He will then return to home soil for the Kip Keino Classic on April 24, where another explosive 100m showdown awaits.