Omanyala Demands Millions In Order To Race iShowSpeed

Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, has set a steep price tag for a potential showdown with American YouTube sensation IShowSpeed. Ahead of the streamer’s highly anticipated tour of Kenya, Omanyala made it clear that while he is willing to race, he will not be doing it as a “charity” event.

In an interview on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 the African 100m record holder stated that any competition must be handled with professional seriousness and financial backing.

Omanyala, who holds the African record of 9.77 seconds, emphasized that his status as an elite global athlete requires proper compensation.

“I mean, he has a team, I have a team. If he wants to compete, of course, he will reach out,” Omanyala said. “There are no rules for reaching me as long as we are in Kenya, but we are not doing it for free. If you are putting anything, it should not be less than $50,000 (approx. KSh 6.4 million).”

The sprinter’s firm stance aligns with other world-class track stars. Last year, American world champion Sha’Carri Richardson also rejected a challenge from Speed, famously stating, “I don’t race for free.”

“Whooping Him by the Third Step”

The potential race has ignited Kenyan social media, with fans relentlessly tagging Omanyala to accept the challenge. The Commonwealth Games champion previously made light of the YouTuber’s speed on X (formerly Twitter), joking that the race would be over almost instantly.

“I would whoop him by the third step,” he teased.

Speed’s Track Record with Track Stars

IShowSpeed, the 20-year-old viral creator, has turned sprinting into a core part of his “IRL” (In Real Life) streams. His track record against professionals is a mix of viral wins and reality checks:

The “Win” Against Tebogo: During his trip to Botswana, Speed famously “beat” Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo in an exhibition race, though the win came only after Tebogo slipped at the start.

Speed faced a clear defeat against Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles in a high-stakes 50m dash that drew millions of concurrent viewers.

As Speed prepares to land in Nairobi, the ball is now in his court. Whether the streamer is willing to pay the KSh 6.4 million fee to face the “Sub-10” king of Africa remains to be seen.