Africa’s fastest man joins in campaign to plant 1 million trees

The 100m African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala has urged athletes and other stakeholders to plant trees saying the environment plays a key role in sports. Omanyala, who will be competing in the 100m race during the Absa Kip Keino Classic on Saturday at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi, said that there was need for clean air when competing and planting trees would go a long way in improving the air humans breathed. He was speaking at Kasarani during a tree-planting ceremony where the organisers of the international meet were targeting to plant 2,000 seedlings at the stadium. “I’m aiming to plant one million trees this season and my plea to the other athletes and anyone supporting sports is to join the campaign because this is what we need as sports men and women," Omanyala said. “By planting trees, the community is also set to benefit from clean air and that is why I want to join the government in making sure we fill every space available with trees as one way of supporting the climate action which is now a worldwide concern,” added Omanyala. Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei said that climate change and air quality were impacting negatively on the sport and that is why the federation was engaged in the twin initiatives of climate and air quality checks at athletics events held in the country.