Samwel Imeta, who on Wednesday dazzled the world with an impressive performance in South Africa, is one of them. Imeta finished second
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Kenyan sprinters are currently making their presence felt on the international stage. The incredible potential the nation must develop into a sprints powerhouse is attested to by Ferdinand Omanyala’s spectacular performances in several international competitions. The short races, which were previously believed to be the domain of American athletes, have seen a new era for Kenya thanks to Omanyala. He broke the African record and won the gold medal at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Thankfully, several talented Kenyan sprinters are closely imitating the local sprints sensation who has already established himself as a household name and a major force to be reckoned with. One of them is Samuel Imeta.
Samwel Imeta, who on Wednesday dazzled the world with an impressive performance in South Africa, is one of them. Imeta finished second at the Athletics South Africa Grand Prix competition in Gauteng, clocking 10.22 seconds. He was behind fellow countryman Ferdinand Omanyala, who broke the tape in 10.05 seconds. Imeta is already paving the way to fame at the age of just 24. The nimble soldier was raised in Kanduyi, Bungoma County, where he was born on July 26, 1998. He went to Bungoma D.E. B, a primary school, where he took the 2014 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE).
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But he was compelled by circumstances to attend two different high schools. Samuel Imeta was able to enroll in Milo Boys High School after completing his primary education. He studied there for two years before transferring to Bungoma High School, where he finished his final exam in 2018. “I spent my freshman year of high school at Milo Boys High School, but Bungoma High School poached me to play rugby for them. So, in Form Two, I relocated there.” Imeta is one of six children, including three sisters and two brothers.
Samuel Imeta believes he can only find inner peace if he manages to clock a sub-10, which has proven elusive thus far, despite his stellar performance down South on Wednesday. “I feel good about that second-place finish and my progress from the prior game, but I’m still working very hard to earn a spot in the World Championship in Budapest. A Sub-10 is what I’m going for. The Kip Keino Classic is where I am concentrating right now. Fireworks galore will be present at Kipkeino Classic. My goal is to beat my current personal best time,” said Imeta.
Even though he and his countryman Ferdinand Omanyala are frequently in competition, Imeta hardly considers his gifted teammate to be a rival. He asserts that he has never felt the need to depose Omanyala and claim the national title for himself. “In my practice sessions, I’ve never focused on a specific opponent. My constant goal is to beat the 9:58 world record. Omanyala and I both support this,” Imeta stated.
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