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The 26-year-old will use the southern France city to train for the global event slated for August in Budapest.
Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala has signed up with French-based sports agency Athletic Club Miramas (ACM) as he intensifies his training ahead of the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
Although the finer details of the deal have not been revealed, Omanyala’s training programme for the Worlds, as well as the 2024 Olympics in Paris, will be greatly shaped by the agency which also signed a partnership with Kenya in February for the country’s athletes to train in Miramas, Southern France ahead of next year’s Games.
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“It's really incredible and magical for the club and the city of Miramas,” ACM said of the partnership via a Facebook post on Thursday.
“The signing took place yesterday (Wednesday) in the middle of the athletes and especially the young people who were able to exchange with him (Omanyala). A big thank you to Ferdinand. We will carefully follow the summer season until the world championships in Budapest 23.”
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18:53 - 20.05.2023
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Omanyala has been in Miramas since Monday, training in the French city ahead of Sunday’s Rabat Diamond League where he is among the star attractions.
“I am happy to be back in Miramas. We have created good relations that will go a long way. It is the best training camp especially to prepare for the Olympic Games next year," said Omanyala, as quoted by Maritima Medias.
“This is one of the reasons why I am passionate about this sport, it is to make young people interested in it, to make young children discover and understand this sport and tell them that it's not something that comes easily.
“It takes a lot of time and practice if you want to become a professional athlete. But one of the things I like the most is to inspire future generations to motivate them to do the best they can in every moment of their lives,” added Omanyala, who also spent time with young athletes on Wednesday.
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08:18 - 17.05.2023
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He also called upon the government and private sector to come on board and help support his initiative.
Omanyala has had a good start to the season, winning the Kip Keino Classic in a world lead 9.84 ahead of Americans Kenneth Bednarek (9.98) and Marvin Bracy-Williams (10.03) this month, the win coming after the 26-year-old, who holds the Africa 100m record of 9.77, had clocked a wind-assisted 9.87 at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix in April.
The Kenyan will be among a star-studded 100m cast in Rabat that also has world champion Fred Kerley, Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs, reigning Diamond League champion Trayvon Bromell and fellow Americans Erriyon Knighton as well as Bednarek.
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