Ghana's Olympic journey of hope, determination

As the clock ticks down to the commencement of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Thursday, Ghana is ready to make its mark with a small but spirited contingent of eight athletes ready to take on the world to bring hope and pride to the nation.

The Olympic Games is the ultimate arena for the world's top athletes and remains a coveted dream for every sportsman and sportswoman. As Paris hosts the centennial celebration of the modern Olympics, an estimated 10,500 athletes, representing 206 countries, will be competing in 329 events from July 26 to August 11.

Since debuting as the Gold Coast in the 1952 Helsinki Games and competing under its own flag from 1957, Ghana's Olympic journey has been marked by both challenges and triumphs, with the country missing only the 1956, 1976 and 1980 Games.

Ghana's Olympic history is rich with moments of resilience and perseverance. Despite the modest tally of five medals —one silver and four bronze — the achievements of athletes such as Clement Ike Quartey Snr in 1960, Eddie Blay in 1964, Prince Amartey in 1972, the Black Meteors football team in 1992, and Samuel Takyi in 2020, have cemented their legacy in Ghanaian sports.

As Team Ghana heads to Paris for her 16th appearance at the Olympics, all eyes are on the men's 4x100m relay team, which includes Joseph Paul Amoah, Benjamin Azamati, Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, Isaac Botsio, and Fuseini Ibrahim. This team has shown significant promise, with a strong chance to make history on the Olympic stage.

Relay team of hope 

The buzz around the formidable men’s 4x100m relay team is palpable, one of cautious optimism.

Despite facing formidable competition from athletic powerhouses like the USA, Jamaica, Italy, and China, Ghana’s athletes remain undaunted and aim to turn dreams into reality. 

Having clocked an impressive qualification time of 38.29 seconds at the World Relays in the Bahamas to secure their spot in Paris, the athletes are focused on refining their baton changes—an area critical to their success. 

Although the athletes are fine-tuning their preparations at their training base in the French city of Strasbourg, they are measured in their expectations as they reckon the challenge ahead is going up against the world’s best. 

“It’s a dream come true and we reckon with the weight of expectations from the nation. But we are mentally and physically ready for the challenge and hopefully, we will make ourselves proud,” said Joe Paul Amoah, who is a member of the relay team.

Breaking new ground

Adding to the excitement is Ghana’s first female high jumper to compete at the Olympics. Rose Amoanimaa Yeboah, the reigning African high jump queen, is aiming to soar higher in Paris, surpass her personal best of 1.97m and compete against the world’s elite jumpers.

“I am ready psychologically, and we will see how it goes. The best-ranked athlete cleared 2.10m, so that is doable,” she said confidently after winning back-to-back African Championships titles in Douala, Cameroun.

Her participation marks a significant milestone in Ghana's athletic history and adds a new dimension to the nation's Olympic aspirations.

Not to be overlooked are Ghana’s swimming pair of Joselle Mensah and Harry Stacey, who will aim to make a big splash in the pool as Ghana makes a second appearance in the sport. Both swimmers punched their tickets to Paris as wild cards.

Unfortunately, Ghana's football and boxing teams failed to qualify this year, leaving the nation without representation in its most successful Olympic disciplines.

Nonetheless, the nation’s hopes are far from dim. The relay team, high jumper Yeboah, and the swimmers are carrying the torch, ready to compete with pride and passion.