At 39, Ghanaian skeleton racer Akwasi Frimpong is racing against time—not just to secure a spot at his second Winter Olympics in 2026, but to ensure his trailblazing career leaves a legacy that outlasts his final slide down the ice.
As he prepares for his fifth World Championships in Lake Placid this week, Frimpong remains laser-focused on one goal: proving Africa belongs in winter sports.
Frimpong, who made history at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games as one of the first African skeleton athletes alongside Nigeria’s Simidele Adeagbo, fears progress could freeze without systemic support. His path to those Games relied on a now-defunct continental quota system, a lifeline absent during the 2022 Beijing cycle when a COVID-19 infection derailed his qualification. Though he’s currently on track to reach the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics via rankings, he warns exclusionary policies could shut the door on future African talent.
“I don’t want to be the first and the last,” Frimpong told Reuters, his voice tinged with urgency. “If we lose that quota, how will the next generation even try? I’m fighting not just for myself, but to keep this door open.”
His advocacy comes amid uneven results. After foot surgery sidelined him early this season, Frimpong has clawed back to 80-85% fitness, notching an 11th-place finish at January’s North American Cup—a modest boost ahead of Worlds. Yet the man who became Africa’s first elite skeleton race winner in 2020 remains pragmatic. “I’m patient,” he said. “This isn’t about podiums anymore. It’s about showing what’s possible.”
Frimpong’s journey—from a childhood in Ghana without snow to pioneering a niche sport—has inspired documentaries and youth initiatives. But systemic hurdles persist. Without continental quotas, African athletes face steeper qualification curves, often lacking funding or training infrastructure. “Imagine a Kenyan bobsled team or a Nigerian skier,” he said. “But if the system isn’t fair, dreams stay buried.”
As Frimpong eyes retirement post-2026, his legacy hinges on more than medals. “When I’m gone, I want coaches in Accra or Lagos saying, ‘If Akwasi did it, why not you?’” he said. “That’s how we turn one story into a movement.” For now, every curve he carves on ice screams a challenge to the status quo: Africa’s winter sports revolution is just beginning.
