Will Omanyala shock Olympic champion Lyles in 150m contest?

(From L) Panama's Arturo Harmodio Deliser Espinosa, Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala and Italy's Chituru Ali compete in the men's 100m heat of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 3, 2024. [AFP]

Fresh from anchoring Kenya's 4x100m team to a 2025 Tokyo World Championships qualification, Africa's fastest 100m sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala is hoping to shine at this year's Atlanta City Games in the US on Saturday.

Omanyala is taking on the reigning Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles in a 150m contest.

In last year's edition, Omanyala clocked 10.00 to place second behind South Africa's Akani Simbine (9.90).

He beat American Kendal Williams (10.05), Nigerian Udodi Onwuzurike (10.12) and Ronnie Baker of USA (10.23).

Omanyala, a Commonwealth Games champion, is a lone Kenyan in the Atlanta City Games that are returning on the custom-built elevated track in Piedmont Park.

He will be on a campaign to impress as he sets sights on the ultimate contest this season - the World Championships in Tokyo.

Omanyala will be stepping into an unfamiliar but eyeing a thrilling territory in 150m, a rarely run distance.

Experts say the 150m distance is tailor-made for a sprinter who thrives in the space between raw acceleration and top-end domination.

Lyles, the 200m American record-holder and four-time World Champion at 100m and 200m is the main highlight in the 150m showdown being among the fastest sprinters with Omanyala, National Collegiate Athletic Association sensation Terrence Jones of Bahamas, world 4x400m mixed champion Alexander Ogando (Dominican Republic) and Cheickna Traore (Ivory Coast), the contest is likely to be explosive.

His resume in the 100m is already dazzling. Apart from the Olympic and World titles, thanks to his show-stopping runs in Paris and Budapest, Lyles has the 2019 Diamond League title and four individual Diamond League 100m wins under his belt.

The USA team of 4x100m had suffered an unprecedented baton drop in the mixed 4x100m during the World Relays Championships in Guangzhou, China last weekend and Lyles is looking to reignite the sprints mojo at the Atlanta City Games.

Organisers said strong fields of sprinters have been assembled for North America's only street meet.

USA's Grant Holloway, the undisputed force in hurdles with Olympic gold and six World Championship titles, will be competing in the 110m hurdles.