Ferdinand Omanyala / FILEAfrica’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala faces his biggest test yet in his quest to retain the Commonwealth Games 100m title when he lines up against Nigeria’s in-form sprint sensation Ajayi Kayinsola in a mouth-watering men’s 100m semi-final at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland, tonight.
The pair headline Semi-final Two, scheduled for 9.10pm, in what promises to be one of the most anticipated races of the championships, with a place in the final at 11.14pm at stake.
Omanyala arrives in Glasgow as the reigning Commonwealth champion and Africa’s sprint king, determined to defend the title he won in Birmingham in 2022.
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The Kenyan powered to victory in 10.02 seconds in Birmingham, finishing ahead of South Africa’s Akani Simbine (10.13) and Sri Lanka’s Yupun Abeykoon (10.14).
The 30-year-old also remains Africa’s fastest man courtesy of his continental record of 9.77 seconds, set at the 2021 Kip Keino Classic.
He has enjoyed another impressive campaign in 2026, posting a string of sub-10-second performances that underline his consistency at the highest level.
His season includes victories in 9.98 at the Addis Ababa Grand Prix on April 18, 9.96 at the Kip Keino Classic on April 24 and a season-best 9.94 at the Xiamen Diamond League. He also finished third in 9.95 at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix before clocking 9.98 for second place at the Shanghai Diamond League.
Unlike many of his rivals, Omanyala is yet to race competitively at these Commonwealth Games after receiving a bye through Monday’s preliminary round, meaning tonight’s semi-final will mark his first outing on the Glasgow track.
Standing in his way is Ajayi, one of the fastest-rising sprinters in world athletics.
The Nigerian announced himself in spectacular fashion on June 12 by winning the NCAA 100m title in a wind-assisted 9.72 seconds. Although the performance would have eclipsed Omanyala’s African record, it was not eligible for ratification because the +2.2 metres-per-second tailwind exceeded the legal limit.
Ajayi has since proved his credentials with legal performances, winning both the Prefontaine Classic on July 4 and the London Diamond League on July 18 in 9.84 seconds.
Their showdown is expected to light up the evening session, with Wales’ Jeremiah Azu, England’s Elliot Jones, Senegal’s Abdul-Rasheed Saminu and South Africa’s Bradley Nkoana also featuring in the stacked second semi-final.
Elsewhere, Kenya’s former national champion Meshack Babu will compete in Semi-final One, where he faces a formidable field that includes Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme, Ghana’s Benjamin Azamati, Nigeria’s Favour Ashe and South Africa’s Cheswill Johnson.
