Kenya’s sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala is the new Africa's 100m champion after defeating South Africa’s Akani Simbine to win the gold medal at the Athletics Championship.

Omanyala clocked 9.93 in the 100m race in the 22nd African Senior Athletics Championship in Port-Louis, Mauritius, breaking Nigerian Seun Ogunkoya’s 9.94 Championship record.

Henricho Bruintjies finished third in 10.01 of South Africa came third in the race.

Omanyala expressed his happiness in bagging his first gold medal in his career.

"I am so happy, considering we have also equalled the championship record. We started off with a false start but thank God the ending was perfect," Omanyala said.

Omanyala’s win came shortly after another Kenyan Winnie Chebet bagged Kenya’s first gold medal in the championship after clocking 4:16.10 in the women’s 1500m.

Chebet’s compatriot, World Under 20 1500 champion Purity Chepkurui followed her at 4:16.28 while Ethiopian Dagnachew Ayal came in third at 4:16.28.

In the men's 10,000m race, Kenyan Abraham Longiswa won the bronze medal after finishing third at 29:23:02 behind Ethiopians Tamay Mogos and Debele Chidimesa who clocked 29:19.01 and 29:22.74 respectively.