- After Helene's destruction, North Carolina starts to rebuild
- Dockers end three-day strike at Montreal port
- What next for OpenAI after $157 billion bonanza?
- Israel-Hamas war causes 86-percent dive in Gaza GDP: IMF
- Milan's Morata moves house after Inter-fan town mayor 'violates' privacy
- 'Devastating' storm hits Augusta National but Masters will go on
- Relief in Brazil, Asia over delay to EU deforestation rules
- Oil prices jump, stocks fall on Middle East tensions
- Biden says 'discussing' possible Israeli strikes on Iran oil facilities
- Oil prices rise, stocks fall on Middle East tensions
- Oil rallies, stocks mostly retreat on Middle East tensions
- Phasing out teen smoking could save 1.2 mn lives: study
- 'Welcome relief': Asia producers hail EU deforestation law delay
- Japan PM slated to announce plans for 'happiness index'
- Turkish inflation falls less than expected in September at 49.4%
- Easing inflation lifts profit at UK supermarket Tesco
- Skiing calls on UN climate science to combat melting future
- China wine industry looks to breed climate resilience
- Tokyo rallies on weak yen, Hong Kong drops after surge
- Dutch airline KLM unveils 'firm' cost-cutting measures
- Carpe diem: the Costa Rican women turning fish into fashion
- Senegal looks to aquaculture as fish stocks dwindle
- Will AI one day win a Nobel Prize?
- Climate change, economics muddy West's drive to curb Chinese EVs
- Argentina's Milei vetoes university budget after huge protests
- TotalEnergies plans to grow oil and gas production until 2030
- 2024 Nobels offer glimmer of hope as global crises mount
- Tokyo rallies on weak yen, Hong Kong reverses after surge
- Tunisia readies for vote as incumbent Saied eyes victory
- High childcare costs in US weigh on women's employment
- US voters seek help with crushing childcare costs
- Taiwan shuts down for second day as Typhoon Krathon to land
- Supercharged storms: how climate change amplifies cyclones
- Biden official urges talks as US port strike enters second day
- Huge protests in Argentina over public university cuts
- Rally in oil prices loses steam on mixed day for global stocks
- South America treated to rare 'ring of fire' eclipse
- Biden official says port strike deal not as far as parties think
- Mexico's new president offers apology for 1968 student massacre
- Historic funding round values OpenAI at $157 billion
- Mixed US car sales in Q3 as industry hopes for post-election bounce
- Thunderstorms are a 'boiling pot' of gamma rays, scientists find
- Scientists unlock secret of 'Girl With Pearl Earring'
- Dolphins flash friendly grins when they're ready to play
- Facing backlash, EU moves to delay deforestation rules
- US private sector adds more jobs than expected in September: ADP
- Boys out of critical condition after Zurich stabbings
- Spain logs record summer tourism as inflow draws protests
- Hedi Slimane quits as Celine's artistic director
- Oil prices extend rally on Iran attack
RBGPF | -1.35% | 59.99 | $ | |
BCC | -0.9% | 138.29 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.16% | 24.74 | $ | |
SCS | -1.98% | 12.62 | $ | |
NGG | -2.7% | 66.97 | $ | |
RIO | -1.42% | 69.83 | $ | |
BTI | -2.45% | 35.11 | $ | |
AZN | -2.12% | 77.93 | $ | |
GSK | -2.81% | 38.37 | $ | |
CMSD | -0.16% | 24.89 | $ | |
JRI | -0.6% | 13.3 | $ | |
RYCEF | 1.15% | 6.98 | $ | |
BCE | -1.77% | 33.84 | $ | |
RELX | -1.46% | 46.61 | $ | |
VOD | -0.52% | 9.69 | $ | |
BP | 0.28% | 32.46 | $ |
Omanyala heads to world athletics as organisers cope with US visa issues
Africa's fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala on Thursday secured a last-minute visa to travel to the United States for the World Athletics Championships although he will have to start his 100m campaign just hours after arriving.
Another African sprinter, Gift Leotlela, a semi-finalist in the 100m at the Tokyo Olympics, posted on social media that he was heading to Eugene, Oregon after delays, suggesting he was one of a group of South Africans flying at the last minute from Italy.
"Been a frustrating few weeks heading up to the champs but we finally going although some of us are going to arrive on the day we racing," he posted on Instagram, giving his location as Venice airport.
Jamaican 400m runner Gregory Prince also resolved his visa issues only at the last moment, reported the Jamaica Daily Gleaner.
Championship organisers, Oregon22 and World Athletics, said that they were working to follow up on visa applications "the majority of which have been successfully resolved".
"We continue to follow up with those outstanding visa issues," they said in a statement, noting that international travel had become more challenging due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Michael Johnson, who won eight world championship gold medals in 200m, 400m and relay, retweeted that statement with the comment: "pitiful & shameful".
Oregon22 board member Renee Chube Washington, said that "of the 5,500 participants that needed visas, less than 1 percent have... not had the visas, meaning denied, or they're still being resolved".
"We won't be 100 percent satisfied unless we had 100 percent of athletes here and that is just not something that we can probably be able to achieve," Washington said.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said the visa issue was "complicated and multi-faceted".
"In relative percentage terms, it's a small number, but that's of no comfort if you're in that category and we will work right up to the last minute," Coe said in Eugene.
"But Renee's right. Will we be able to resolve all those issues in time for the start of competition tomorrow? No, we won't."
- Quick turnaround -
The men's 100m opens with a preliminary round on Friday morning in Eugene. The first round of heats is in the evening.
Omanyala -- the third-fastest man in the world this season -- will have just a few hours rest after his flight before running.
"He will have a few hours to rest before he competes in the 100m heats, and hopefully qualify for the semi-finals and the finals," Omanyala's coach Duncan Ayiemba told AFP.
The 26-year-old Kenyan sprinter said he would be on the next plane and was "positive" of competing at the worlds after securing permission to travel.
"Visa challenges are faced by all Kenyans and people daily, in this case I was no different," Omanyala said in a statement posted on his Twitter account headlined "Oregon Here I Come".
The Kenyan team had been due to leave for the United States in two batches on Monday and Tuesday, but Omanyala was one of several members who did not receive visas in time.
Omanyala set a time of 9.85 seconds in May. Only Americans Fred Kerley and Trayvon Bromell have run faster this year.
In September last year, Omanyala set a new African record of 9.77sec, making him the ninth-fastest man ever, behind four Americans and three Jamaicans.
He told AFP in a recent interview he had set his sights on at least reaching the final of the 100m in Oregon, targeting a time of 9.6sec.
Omanyala is also competing at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham later this month, he said in a statement Thursday.
"Looking forward to making all Kenyans proud," he said.
aik-txw-ho-np/lp/dhc
O.Ignatyev--CPN