Kenyan sprinter Mark Otieno Odhiambo recently made his comeback to the track after serving a two-year doping ban. Otieno participated in his first competitive race at the third Athletics Kenya track and field meet held at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi. He won his heat in 10:41 seconds and further improved his time to 10:33 seconds in the semifinals.

Reflecting on Ferdinand Omanyala’s successful career, Otieno shared that Omanyala has inspired him by demonstrating that it is possible to achieve great success in athletics. Otieno expressed his admiration for Omanyala’s achievements and credited him for providing inspiration to athletes striving for similar goals.

Regarding the challenges he faced during the race after a prolonged period of inactivity due to his suspension, Otieno mentioned that many individuals have now embraced discipline and there is a strong desire among athletes to achieve the level of success attained by Omanyala. Otieno emphasized the opportunities present for emerging talents in the sport.

Otieno was suspended just before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after testing positive for anabolic steroid methasterone. Despite this setback, he is determined to put his career back on track and has found motivation in Omanyala’s achievements.