Black Bombers trainer hopes Olympics Games start as planned

The trainer of Ghana’s amateur boxing team, Kwasi Ofori Asare, says he is hopeful that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will go ahead as planned despite the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic which has virtually brought international sports to a standstill.

So far, two members of Asare’s Black Bombers team — Sulemanu Tetteh and Samuel Takyi — have qualified for the Summer Olympics while three others, heavyweight Shakul Samed, Wahid Omar and lightweight Jesse Lartey were due to compete at the world qualifiers in France.

Olympic hopefuls in limbo

However, the suspension of international sporting events means the trainer and his two Olympic hopefuls face an uneasy and uncertain wait to realise their dreams.

The suspension of sporting events in Ghana also provides Asare time for rest, reflection and to recharge his batteries.

“I think the boxers will use this period to rest; this is a good time to rest and reactivate when the crisis subsides,” he told the Daily Graphic in Accra last Wednesday.

“The boys are practising non-residential training and training individually, I have given them instructions as to what to do and they are training.”

Despite that, he is eagerly anticipating the start of the Tokyo Games — his third successive Olympics as head trainer of Ghana’s boxing team — where he believes the duo of Tetteh and Takyi can make a massive impression.