Tuesday, January 13, 2026 - Kenyan sprint sensation, Ferdinand Omanyala, has explained why he did not participate in a proposed race against American streamer, Darren Watkins Jr., popularly known as IShowSpeed, during the YouTuber’s recent tour of Nairobi.
Speaking on Monday, January 12th, Omanyala said
his career depends entirely on maintaining peak physical condition, unlike
influencers whose livelihoods are not tied to athletic performance.
He stressed that taking part in an informal race could
expose him to injury, jeopardizing his contracts and future competitions.
"I'm not an influencer, man. I do this for money, and I have
big companies like Adidas and Toyota.”
“These guys are paying me because of running. For Speed, after that
run, God forbid he gets an injury, he still continues with the streams, even
with crutches.”
“But for me, what happens? I need to earn from running, so that's
why I need to cover my bases," Omanyala explained.
Meanwhile, Speed’s Nairobi livestream attracted global
attention, peaking at over eight million viewers and earning him more than
360,000 new subscribers in a single day.
The streamer immersed himself in Kenyan culture - cooking
ugali and chapati, visiting Giraffe Centre, Nairobi National Park and Uhuru
Park where he rode a camel.
He also sampled nyama choma at Kenyatta Market,
received portraits from local artists, and capped his day with a rally drive to
KICC followed by a helicopter tour of the city.
On January 12th, Speed continued his adventure
with a visit to the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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