Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala is already preparing for life after athletics and has spoken about the multi-million seven-bedroom home he is constructing for his family.
Ferdinand Omanyala may just be 28 and in the prime of his career but he is already preparing for life after athletics.
Omanyala is one of the Kenyan athletes with the most endorsement deals which have come with some big paycheques.
The sprinter has a deal with giant kit maker Adidas, which was recently extended up to 2028, is the brand ambassador for CFAO Motors Kenya Limited (formerly Toyota Kenya) where he markets the Hilux Double Cabin, while Visa and Oppo Kenya are also his partners.
Ferdinand Omanyala epitomizes speed and power given his burly frame plus quick feet and when it comes to cars, he has stayed true to this with luxury automobiles valued at Ksh43 million.
Omanyala has also had deals with gaming firm Odibets, Absa Kenya and Tusker, the latter handing him a Ksh5 million boost, just before the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The Commonwealth champion admits 2024 was a blessed year as he boosted his bank balance significantly and he decided to invest part of his earnings in a new home which is currently under construction.
“2024 was a good year for me financially,” Omanyala told Nation during a recent interview.
“Financially, I have been quite successful after having so much support which has allowed me to achieve some good milestones in life like building a house,” added the father of two.
Omanyala is constructing a seven-bedroom house in Kiambu county which he estimates will cost him Ksh50 million when it is done, showing his level of ambition and success.
The sprinter is counting on his track success and endorsement deals to provide the much-needed resources to complete the mega project and he is confident much more will come, having seen his earnings rise last year.
“I collected an appearance fee of Sh3.5 million in most of the races but the ABSA Kip Keino Classic was one of the best,” he added, offering fans an inside look into how lucrative sport can be.
Omanyala has achieved all these without even winning a major championship and having finished seventh in the 100m final at the 2023 World Championships and failed make it to the final at the Paris 2024 Olympics, he is looking to make amends at the 2025 Worlds in Tokyo, Japan.
Winning a medal in Tokyo will boost Omanyala’s earnings even further but he knows it will take great preparation and strategy to outwit his rivals, who include world and Olympics champion Noah Lyles, Jamaican Kishane Thompson, Botswana’s Lestile Tobogo to name just a few.
