Nana Addo hails Ghana’s Tokyo Olympic Team

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed excitement over the performance exhibited by the Ghana’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic Team at the recently held Olympic Games.

In addition, the President announced a reward package of $5000 to each member of the team, of which three thousand dollars $3,000 will be given to them, and two thousand dollars ($2,000) invested towards their career.

For the medalist Takyi, he will receive $10,000 cash, a $20,000 investment fund toward the development of his career and a car.

In total, the government is spending $150,000 in bonuses for Team Ghana’s athletes at the Tokyo Olympics.

The team, recorded impressive feats, including breaking national records in 4×100 metres relay, weightlifting and swimming, before ending the nation’s Olympic medal drought in nearly three decades.

The team, which won a bronze medal in the Men’s Featherweight Division also chalked several successes, including Abeiku Jackson of the Swimming discipline setting a National and CANA Zone 2 record (West and Central Africa) of a 53.39s in the 100m Butterfly event, Benjamin Azamati, Joseph Amoah, Joseph Manu and Sean Sarfo-Antwi also making it to the final of the 4x100m relay for the first time since Atlanta 1996, with an impressive 38.08s national record.

A delegation led by Minister for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif on Friday, 20th August, took the Olympic team to the Jubilee House to meet with the President.

President, Nana Akufo-Addo in his speech congratulated the team for their individual and collective achievements and pledged his unflinching support towards the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next year and the African Games which will be hosted in Ghana in 2023.

“For the first time ever, a Ghanaian athlete, Samuel Takyi, was selected to represent Africa at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. For the first time in the history of the 4th Republic, Ghana won a medal at the Olympics.

“Out of the 52 African countries that participated at the Olympics, Ghana placed 10th on the continent. This should spur us on to even greater heights in future competitions. On behalf of the people of Ghana, I say a big hearty ayekoo to all of you. You made the country proud,” President Akufo-Addo said.

The President in thanking the team for making the country proud also urged them to put in their best to win more medals in the coming tournaments.