Gadayi sprints towards Olympic dream after SWAG Award boost
For Ghanaian sprint sensation Edward Kwabla Gadayi, winning the 2024 SWAG Male Athlete of the Year has been a defining moment in his career.
The prestigious honour has not only reinforced his self-belief but has also ignited a burning ambition to achieve even greater feats on the global stage.
Against the odds, Gadayi claimed the coveted title ahead of formidable competitors such as national 200m record holder Joseph Paul Amoah and national high jump record holder Cadman Evans Yamoah—both gold medallists at the Accra 2023 African Games.
Now, at 24, the sprinter is beginning to reap the rewards of years of relentless dedication and sees the SWAG accolade as a launchpad for greater success, including Olympic triumphs.
"Since I started running, I have always worked hard to maintain my fitness, form and momentum. Winning such a major award in Ghana is not easy, and it can only motivate me to achieve something even bigger," Gadayi reflected, two months after his crowning moment at the 49th SWAG Awards Night in Accra.
Year of breakthroughs
While Gadayi may have been caught off guard by his triumph at the SWAG Awards, describing 2024 as an exceptional year for him would be an understatement.
His campaign began with a silver medal in the 4x100m relay at the African Games in Accra, where he ran the opening leg for Ghana’s team.
But his defining moment came in June at the CAR Zone II Championships, also in Accra, where he stormed to victory in the 100m final with a personal best of 10.20 seconds.
His impressive season continued at the African Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameroun, where, despite falling short in the 100m semi-finals, he helped Team Ghana secure bronze in the 4x100m relay.
However, the crowning glory of his season arrived at the GNPC Ghana’s Fastest Human Grand Finale. In a thrilling showdown, Gadayi clocked 10.24 seconds, outpacing two-time champion and Olympian Sarfo Ansah (10.45s) to claim the title he had long yearned for.
After years of near misses, the victory was a personal triumph that fuelled his hunger for dominance.
"This was something I had been chasing for a long time. I had competed in this event for five years, and things never went my way. But finally, I won it, and now my focus is on defending my title this year," he stated with determination.
Heartbreak and loss
Despite his successes, 2024 was not without its trials. In a cruel twist of fate, Gadayi was axed from Ghana’s Olympic relay team at the last minute due to an IOC rule change, which left no room for a fifth sprinter in the squad.
As if that disappointment wasn’t crushing enough, he suffered an even greater personal loss—the passing of his father, which coincided with the Paris 2024 Olympics.
"Last year was an amazing year for me, but also a sad one. Missing out on the Olympics was painful, but losing my dad at the same time made it even worse," he revealed.
"I was devastated because I had worked so hard for it. Every athlete dreams of competing on that stage, and to come so close only to be denied in that manner was heartbreaking," he admitted.
Despite these setbacks, Gadayi remains unwavering in his pursuit of greatness. For the sprinter, the SWAG Award is just the beginning.
His ambitions stretch far beyond national accolades—he has set his sights on competing among the world’s best.
"The Olympic disappointment was tough, but I won’t let it define me. Instead, I will train even harder to ensure that, at the next Olympics, I will be there," he vowed.
"My target is to keep improving and make it to the world stage—not just for Ghana, but for myself. The World Championships, the Olympics, all the biggest meets—I want to be there, making headlines and creating history for my country," he emphasised.
