By Michael Okuley
Ghana has shaken the Olympics pressure following the qualification of sprint duo Benjamin Azamati and Abdul Rasheed Saminu for the semifinals of the 100m in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Ghana started life in the competition on a bad note after swimmer Harry Stacey and High Jumper Rose Yeboah failed to progress to the semifinals. However, Benjamin Azamati started Saturday’s event with a blistering run of 10.08 in the men’s 100m Heat 1 to finish second.
This feat qualified him for the semifinals. Azamati was in the same race with Jamaican Thompson Kishane and Jeremiah Azu, who got disqualified for a false start before the race. Speaking to GBC correspondent Michael Okuley at the Games, the sprinter believes the focus is now on the semis.
“It’s all about representing whenever I put on the jersey. Happy to be here to do my best, and it’s all about thinking about the race. The semifinal is here upon us, and I will speak to my coaches to correct some few things and get myself ready for the huge task ahead. Happy I have been able to take care of the Heat.”
Having to run against big athletes pulled me through to my limit, and I hope I get a good race in semis.”
In the same 100-race Heat 5, Ghana’s Olympic debutant Abdul Rasheed Saminu clocked 10.06 to pick a slot in the semifinals. Young Saminu burnt five other athletes to rewrite Ghana’s story in the competition for another semi-final slot. Marcel Jacobs
“My first time at the Olympics and into the semi-finals. I’m very grateful and hope I make it to the finals. I just have to change my mentality for the next race. I believe in progressing, and when I got the 50m, I was a bit nervous due to the presence of the Olympic champion Marcel Jacobs.”
The semifinal, which is expected to take place on Sunday at Stade France will see Benjamin Azamati running in semifinal 1 with 8 other sprinters, including world number one Lyles Noah, while Saminu Adbul-Rasheed finds himself in semifinal 3, where he competes with other 8 athletes, including Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala.