Africa's fastest athlete Ferdinand Omanyala might take part in the World Athletics Championship in Eugene, Oregon after all after the hitch with his Visa was resolved by the US Embassy.

In a statement Omanyala issued after receiving his Visa, he thanked everyone who intervened to ensure he was not locked out of the championship.


"I want to thank everyone who worked around the clock to ensure I get my Visa. I got my Visa today from the US Embassy and I want to thank them also," Omanyala said.

The athlete absolved anyone from the blame for the incident saying that how the system works and it cannot be forced.

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" You see there's nobody to blame here. I mean...it is the system and how it works. You cannot just force anything, it is out of control," he said.

Omanyala expressed his utmost gratitude to President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Sports CS Amina Mohamed who he revealed had worked tirelessly to ensure he got his Visa.

Ferdinand Omanyala. PHOTO/COURTESY

"I want to thank the Minister of Sports Madam Amina. She's been working...Okay, people are talking out here but they don't know what's behind the scenes. Last night she was really working on it and I also want to thank the President. We were with the president like two days ago when he instructed that to be done so let's just say that's the system, how it works," Omanyala said.

Omanyala also thanked the Athletics Federation which he said was organising a flight for him to join the other competitors in Oregon.

The athlete said the federation is in talks with World Athletics to allow him to recover lost time in the competitions should he arrive late.

"If I arrive there like...a bit late, Mr Barnabas Korir has told me that they are talking with World Athletics to have me have my own heat which would be nice. Just to run alone and feel the field and just to compete alone you know, get through to the semi-finals and after that everything will follow," he said.


He expressed his optimism about joining the other athletes in Oregon and competing with them because according to him, that is the importance of the games.