Ghana’s first skeleton Olympian Akwasi Frimpong has revealed when he will retire as a professional athlete in an exclusive interview with Pulse.com.gh.
Speaking on Pulse One-on-One, the Dutch-Ghanaian athlete explained that he wasn’t getting any younger and with his focus now on his foundation, he feels it’s time to put down his bobsled.
“After 2018, 2022 and after 2026, I’m not getting any younger. And basically I want to give back as well, so in the process, it helps me promote my foundation as well. But the goal is to retire after the 2026 Olympics.” Frimpong exclusively revealed to Pulse.com.gh.
Skeleton, according to the Olympian, is an expensive sport, but since 2017 he has been doing his best to train youngsters across Ghana.
“We’ve had a bobsled and skeleton federation since 2017 … we’ve been doing this for many years, almost every three months we go to different schools. We make wooden sleds here in Ghana and introduce them to the sport to make them curious and interested. The sport is very expensive.” he said.
Akwasi Frimpong’s Olympic journey
Frimpong, a former Dutch junior 200m sprint champion, was born in Kumasi, Ghana but later moved to the Netherlands.
He decided to compete for Ghana in the skeleton to qualify for the Olympics. Fribong earned a spot on the African continental squad in the skeleton event and qualified for the 2018 Olympics.
The 38-year-old made history as the first African skeleton athlete to win an elite skeleton competition sanctioned by the USA Skeleton and Bobble Federation in Park City, Utah on February 29, 2020.