Ghana have a new men’s 100m sprint sensation with Benjamin Azamati breaking his national record and winning titles in the U.S. college scene ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 2021.
Benjamin Azamati of Ghana is one of Africa’s rising athletics stars in the 100m.
He posted a new personal best in his first race of the 2021 outdoor season, 9.97s, which saw him qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 2021.
The time was a bit of a surprise to the sprinter.
“I was shocked. I mean, not that I can’t run that time, but at that moment, it wasn’t time that I was expecting!” he told the Olympic Channel Podcast.
“I was happy I was able to qualify.”
The recent run of good form has continued for Benjamin.
Azamati is part of the West Texas A&M University Track and Field team in the U.S.
He managed to capture both the 100m and 200m titles in the NCAA division two championships
Being based in America, Azamati hasn’t seen his parents since Christmas. It’s likely he won’t see them until December 2021, but they are in regular contact via phone.
“They felt proud… they pray I just have good health and be able to go out there and run [well].”
He can’t wait to seize the opportunity to represent his family and country at the Olympics.
“It is a great feeling to know that the whole country is behind you.” – Benjamin Azamati to Olympic Channel Podcast
“I’m excited to go to the Olympic Games.”
The targets for Azamati at the Olympics are simple: make the finals in both the 100m and the 4x100m relays.
The Ghana team won the relay title at the 2019 Africa Games.
For any aspiring athletes out there who would like to follow in Azamati’s footsteps and want some advice, he welcomes calls about how to how to navigate a difficult road.
“I’m ready to answer the questions… [about] how my life is going and how I was able to get to this stage… I’m about ready to talk to people about that.”
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