PARIS2024: Azamati, Saminu miss out Olympic final
By: Michael Okuley
Ghana’s sprint pair Benjamin Azamati and Abdul Rasheed Saminu have missed the 100m final place in the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The duo made a blistering run in the semis to give hope for the final with decent times.
Benjamin Azamati who started the day’s race in Heat 1 lane 3 clocked a time of 10.17 to finish 9th which hindered his progress to the finals. Jamaica’s Seville Oblique won the race with a time of 9.81 with the second position going to America’s Lyles Noah with a time of 9.83. Despite becoming the first Ghanaian to make an Olympic Games semi-finals, Benjamin Azamati expresses disappointment over his inability to make the final cut.
“One of the best races this season and one of my worst but I can’t complain. I have worked hard to get here and finishing at the semis is good for me. I couldn’t put up a good race but it’s still a learning process.”
“The best way is not to give up. I’m getting back to training hard for the subsequent championships. I have mastered the art of controlling my emotions in the block, which has been the greatest lesson”.
Debutant Abdul Rasheed Saminu also made a time of 10.05 in Heat 3 to pick the 7th position in the race. The 26-year-old’s record beats Africa champion Ferdinand Omanyala. The Heat race was won by Thompson Kishane with 9.80 and the 9.85 made by America’s Kelly Fred won him the second position and his seasonal best feat.
“It’s a great experience as a young Olympian for the next chapter. I didn’t get the quick start as I wanted but I recovered very well. This experience is what I will cherish forever. We are going to work hard for Ghana in the next competitions”.
In all the top two athletes from each Heat race and the 2 sprinters with the fastest time progress to the finals to be run at the Stade France.
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