Tokyo 2020: Benjamin Azamati misses out on 100m semis

Ghanaian sprinter, Benjamin Azamati last Saturday missed out on qualification to the semi-finals of the men’s 100m race at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics.

The 23-year-old clocked 10.13s and finished 4th in the race which was won by Rohan Browning of Australia with Yohan Blake of Jamaica finishing 2nd.

His time of 10.13s was not good enough to qualify as one of the fastest losers after missing out on the automatic qualification.

Azamati who broke Leo Myles-Mills’ long-standing Ghana national record in the 100m and booked a place at this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo with a smashing 9.97s,  sees his Olympic dreams come to a halt.

The race was the former PRESEC and University of Ghana student’s first-ever at the Olympic Games, and will be hoping to make amends when he joins the 4×100 m team.

In a post-race review of his performance, the former Presec, Legon and the University of Ghana student highlighted that his slow start made it difficult for him to recover.

“I worked according to my race plan, but I think I had a poor reaction and I had to come back into the race from behind, which was not easy for me. It was very difficult for me and I could not keep up my form and that was one of my mistakes,” he said

According to him, running alongside Yohan Blake, a two-time Olympic gold medalist for the first time in his career and competing with the best of athletes made him nervous.

“Ever since I started running, I have never run alongside these great athletes and I think he [Yohan Blake] is one of them. There was nervousness and all of that, but I think it was a good experience, and I am going to get back stronger”.

“It just happened that I could not qualify to the next round, but I am glad I was able to come out here, and I felt healthy too and that is a good thing. We have the relay next. I want to focus on that and so once I leave here, I have left everything behind me. Mentally, I am ready to go again,” he concluded.