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."

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-quickest 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