Ghana struggles at Rio Olympics

Nine days into  the 2016 Olympic Games  in Rio, Team Ghana is yet to make any impact with members  falling out in the first of their respective  events each day.

The latest to join the casuality  list of athletes who have failed to progress is sprinter Flings Owusu-Agyapong, who finished fourth in the 100m race when she clocked 11.43 seconds.

The disappointing campaign at this year’s Olympics began with swimmer Kaya Forson, the first Ghanaian to compete in the waters. Though she failed to make it past the heats, finishing third in the 200m freestyle, the 14-year-old improved upon her personal best record, with a finishing time of  of 2:16:02.

Judoka Szandra Szogedi, also making an Olympic debut,  was the next to follow having been overpowered by her Brazilian counterpart,  Mariana Sliva before Abeiku Jackson also had his hopes dashed with a sixth-place finish in 24.30sec  in the men’s swimming.

Sprinter Sean Safo-Antwi  also failed to progress in the men’s 100m race after recording a time of 10.47 to place sixth in Heat 1 to sum up Ghana’s disappointing campaign in this year’s Olympic Games.

Flings  has a second chance to make amends when she teams up with the 4x100m relay team later this week and is determined to make the most of that chance and remains optimistic about  making a major impact in that event.

She has, however, urged the country to consider investing heavily in athletics if her athletes  should do well in the sport, “If Ghana wants to reach the height of others, there must be more investment in the sport,” she said.