Since Ferdinand Omanyala burst into the limelight in the Kenyan Olympic scene, the athlete has built a solid name for himself, and his story continues to captivate the hearts of Kenyans and other sports enthusiasts and fans around the globe. Omanyala is a Kenyan sprinter who is well known for incredible speed. Among other achievements, he was the first Kenyan sprinter to break the ten second barrier before setting a new African record of 9.77 seconds in men’s 100m.
In June last year, Omanyala clinched the official title of African Champion and just two months later in August, he won Kenya’s inaugural gold medal in the 100m race at the commonwealth games. With this he marked Kenya’s first victory in this category in six decades. With his remarkable athletics journey which showcases dedication and hard work, Omanyala is a great inspiration to upcoming athletes.
It is with this background that Visa is today welcoming Omanyala to Team Visa – a program that helps athletes thrive personally and professionally, providing financial support, assistance with philanthropic endeavors, financial literacy tools, and mental health and wellness resources. Omanyala’s debut into Team Visa will be to compete in the Olympic & Paralympic Games Paris 2024 – a 12 day sporting event attracting over 4,400 of the world’s most outstanding athletes. The event which will run from August 28 to September 8 is the biggest sporting event ever organized in France.
“The Paralympic Games are more than just a sporting event. They offer a unique opportunity to shine a spotlight on sport and disability, inspire individuals, bring about social change and promote inclusive professional and sports opportunities for people with disabilities” – Source.
By supporting Omanyala and other athletes through this and other sporting events, Visa continues to demonstrate their dedication to empowering athletes and building a more inclusive world through sport. Since 2000, the Team Visa athlete program has championed more than 600 Olympic and Paralympic athletes selected based on their athletic achievements, community involvement, and alignment with Visa’s core values of equality, access, and inclusion.
“Omanyala is an example of what hard work and dedication can do to achieve your dreams, while inspiring the next generation.” Eva Ngigi-Sarwari, Ag. General Manager for East Africa at Visa.
Team Visa provides athletes from around the globe with tools, resources and support needed to achieve their goals on and off the court. Athletes are selected based on athletic achievements, personal journey, and social impact, aligned with Visa’s brand values and priorities including diversity, equity, inclusion and commitment to uplifting their communities.
“Joining Team Visa with so many incredible athletes will help me continue to advocate for what’s important to me, advancing the sport and social issues that matter most to me.” – Ferdinand Omanyala.
