Rediscovering rhythm rather than chasing records is at the heart of Ferdinand Omanyala’s return to the indoor circuit as the African 100 metres record holder prepares for the 2026 indoor season in Europe, having skipped the indoor campaign in 2025.

Omanyala spoke in an exclusive interview after a training session at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on January 20, 2026, where he appeared relaxed, focused and clear about his short-term priorities.

Training under his longtime coach Duncan Ayiemba, the Kenyan sprint star says preparations are firmly on course, even as travel logistics remain a concern for his team. “We’re preparing for the Indoors,” Omanyala said. “So our first meet is this Sunday in Paris, France, and then next week we’re running in Miramas, also in France, and then Moscow, Russia, and then we finish in Belgrade, Serbia indoor gold label.”

Despite the clear competition schedule, visa delays threaten to complicate travel plans for some members of his entourage. “In the course of this week, some of my team members have not gotten their visas but we hope that they can get maybe today, so that we travel either tomorrow or Thursday,” he explained. “I’m just aware of me, I don’t know if there’s other athletes, I’m not sure.”

Omanyala was keen to stress that the indoor season is about rebuilding race sharpness rather than breaking new ground. “For the Indoors, I’m just hoping to get back the rhythm and hopefully qualify for the World Indoor Athletics Championships scheduled for March 20-22 in Poland. “We’re not looking at improving personal bests now, we’re just looking at now getting back into the rhythm of running.”

Questions about his outdoor ambitions, including the Commonwealth Games where he is the defending champion in 100 metres, were quickly brushed aside. “We’re still early so let’s finish, my head is still at the Indoors,” Omanyala said. “After the World Indoors and then we start preparing for the Outdoors based on how we are performing.”

On preparations so far, the sprinter expressed satisfaction while underlining the difference between training and racing. “They have been great, we’re not starting this week because you know training is one thing but competitions are another,” he noted.

Omanyala said that the Kip Keino Classic om April 26 is likely to be his next race in Kenya. Reflecting briefly on last season, he remained characteristically forward-looking. “It was not a bad season but again it was a good season because some of the targets we did not achieve,” he said. “I don’t really like to look at the past so now we’re focusing on the 2026.”