Kenyan athlete Ferdinand Omanyala lived up to the hype on Wednesday night, rocketing to a convincing victory in the men's 100m sprint, while hurdles specialist Zeney van der Walt flaunted her flat speed in the women's 400m dash at the first leg of the ASA Grand Prix at Tuks Athletics Stadium in Pretoria.

Closing out the meeting, African record holder Omanyala won the short sprint in 10.12 seconds, running into a -1.2m/s headwind, finishing well clear of South African teenager Benjamin Richardson who clocked 10.33.

In the women's 100m race, Phindile Kubekha stormed to victory in 11.81, narrowly holding off Reabetswe Moloi who grabbed the runner-up spot in 11.86.

In other track events, hurdles specialist Van der Walt was superb in the women's flat 400m sprint, charging to an impressive personal best in 50.81.

Qatari athlete Abderrahman Samba took the men's 400m contest in 45.37;  Marione Fourie coasted to a comfortable win in 13.01 in the women's 100m hurdles; and pre-race favourite Prudence Sekgodiso claimed victory in the women's 800m race in 2:02.41 ahead of Oratile Nowe who set a Botswana national record of 2:02.85

Among the field events highlights, Egypt's five-time African Championships medallist Mostafa El Gamal won the men's hammer throw with a 76.87m heave; Thapelo Monaiwa of Botswana took the men's long jump with a leap of 8.12m; Tadeas Prochazka of the Czech Republic won the women's shot put with an effort that landed at 18.21m; local favourite Jo-Ane van Dyk triumphed in the women's javelin with a best throw of 55.60m; and Yolandi Stander took the women's discus event with a 58.30m throw.

The second leg of the ASA Grand Prix series will be held at Germiston Stadium on Wednesday, 19 April.

/ENDS