Ghana’s quest for a men’s 100m breakthrough at the Paris 2024 Olympics ended in disappointment as Benjamin Azamati and Abdul-Rasheed Saminu failed to advance to the final.
Benjamin Azamati, 26, narrowly missed his first Olympic 100m final, finishing ninth in his semi-final with a time of 10.17 seconds.
Despite a commendable performance in the heats, where he had placed behind the world’s fastest man, Kishane Thompson, Azamati could not progress further.
In the semi-finals, Jamaican sprinter Thompson’s compatriot Oblique Seville and American Noah Lyles secured their final spots with 9.81 and 9.83 seconds, respectively.
Great Britain’s Louie Hinchliffe also qualified, clocking 9.97 seconds to finish third in the semi-finals.
Ghana’s second representative, Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, showed potential with a time of 10.05 seconds but fell short of reaching the final, finishing seventh.
With their 100m final dreams dashed, Azamati and Saminu will now focus on the 4x100m relay and 200m events, aiming to make a notable impact.
The absence of Ghanaian sprinters in the 100m final is a setback. Still, the athletes and their supporters remain hopeful for solid performances in the remaining events as the Olympic Games continue.
