Benjamin Azamati and Abdul-Rasheed Saminu are on the verge of making history as they aim to become the first Ghanaians since 2004 to reach the men’s 100m final at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The last Ghanaian to achieve this feat was Aziz Zakari, who made it to the final in Athens. Zakari’s journey was remarkable, finishing second in his heat and winning in a challenging second round, but he faltered in the final, failing to finish because of a hamstring problem. Since then, no Ghanaian sprinter has made it to the 100m final.
Azamati and Saminu are set to compete in the semi-finals on Sunday evening, each facing formidable opponents. Azamati will race in the 100m semi-final 1, where he will compete against reigning world champion Noah Lyles, a favourite for the gold medal in Paris.
Also in his race is Cameroonian sprinter Emmanuel Eseme, who won gold at the African Games in Accra earlier this year. Azamati finished fifth in that race, leaving home fans disappointed, but his impressive performance in the heats on Saturday as he finished second has reignited hopes. As the national record holder, Azamati’s chances of reaching his first Olympic final look promising.
Saminu, on the other hand, faces a challenging race in semi-final 2, where he will compete against the fastest man in 2024, Kishane Thompson, and Canadian star Andre De Grasse.
Despite the tough competition, Saminu has shown remarkable progress this season. His journey to the Olympics wasn’t straightforward, having secured his spot through world rankings rather than meeting the entry standard. However, his recent performances, including a personal best of 10.02 seconds, have demonstrated his potential.
Both sprinters have the opportunity to make history for Ghana. With Azamati’s impressive heat performance and Saminu’s determination, there is a sense of optimism among Ghanaian fans. If either sprinter can advance to the final, it will mark a special achievement for Ghanaian athletics.
The semi-finals will start at 6pm local time.
