Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala opened his 2026 World Athletics Indoor Tour campaign with a fourth-place finish in the 60 metres race at the Paris Indoor Meeting in France on Sunday, signalling a measured return to indoor competition rather than an all-out chase for records.

Omanyala clocked 6.77 seconds in Heat 2, finishing behind Ali Al Balushi of Oman (6.60), Cuba’s Reynier Mena (6.64) and Italian Filippo Randazzo (6.65).

The Kenyan sprint star, who holds both the national and meet record of 6.51 seconds set at the 2024 Paris Indoor Meeting, placed ahead of Kayhan Ozer from Turkey (6.77) and Frenchman Jerry Leconte (6.80).

In Heat 1, Cameroonian Emmanuel Eseme emerged fastest with 6.60, followed by William Aguessy of Benin (6.64) and Cuba’s Jenns Fernandez (6.66). Traunard Folson currently leads the world this season with 6.49, while American Christian Coleman remains the world record holder at 6.34, set in 2018.

The Paris outing marked Omanyala’s first indoor race since skipping the 2025 indoor season, and the result reflected his stated goal of rediscovering race rhythm rather than posting peak times. The African 100 metres record holder has been clear that the indoor circuit is part of a broader build-up as he eases back into competitive sharpness under longtime coach Duncan Ayiemba.

Speaking earlier in the week after a training session at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, the 2022 Commonwealth Games 100m champion Omanyala underlined that the indoor season is about progression. His European schedule includes meets in Miramas, France on January 30, Moscow (Russia) and Belgrade (Serbia), with the ultimate aim of qualifying for the World Indoor Athletics Championships set for March 20–22 in Poland.

Sunday’s performance in Paris offered a first competitive benchmark and a platform to build on as the tour continues. While not matching his previous Paris heroics, the race allowed Omanyala to test himself against a strong international field and begin sharpening his race execution.

Looking beyond Europe, Omanyala has indicated that the Kip Keino Classic on April 26 is likely to be his next appearance on home soil. For now, however, the focus remains firmly on the indoor season and gradual improvement, with Paris serving as the opening step in his 2026 campaign.