Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, recently shared a heartwarming moment online, showing his young son Quinton Omanyala engaged in football training.
In the short video clip, Quinton is seen weaving through cones with impressive footwork and sharp turns. The skills that suggest the boy has inherited more than just his father’s speed. With a football at his feet and a smile on his face, it was a light but telling glimpse into what could be his own sporting path.
One surprised fan couldn’t hide her reaction, posting with laughter:
“Sai anaruka, si yeye 😂😂”,
which translates to, “Now he’s jumping? That can’t be him!”
However, Ferdinand Omanyala responded to a fan. He shared a video of young Quinton who had not even started speaking clearly, as a way to show how fast he has grown.
Quinton, who already has an Instagram account under @quintonfinnomanyala, may still be very young. However, moments like these spark curiosity, could he one day choose football over athletics?
If he does, he wouldn’t be alone in reversing the sporting script. British runner George Mills, for example, chose athletics despite his father, Danny Mills, being a former England footballer. Perhaps, in the case of the Omanyalas, we might see the opposite. A footballer emerging from a sprinting household.
Ferdinand Omanyala’s own journey to stardom began in September 2021. This is when he stunned the world by clocking 9.77 seconds in the 100 meters.
He set a new African record and beating former world champion Justin Gatlin. That moment placed him firmly among the world’s sprinting elite.