Ghana’s featherweight boxer Samuel Takyi has been a great inspiration to everyone in Ghana especially young men and women who aspire to be boxers, says Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Prof Peter Twumasi.
His comments come after the youngster achieved an enviablefeat of winning Ghana’s first Olympic medal in 29 years despite losing his semifinal bout in the featherweight division toAmerican, Duke Ragan on Tuesday, August 03, 2021.
The Black Bomber, Takyi had been guaranteed a medal for Ghana after beating Colombia’s experienced boxer, David Ceiber Avila in the quarter-final stage at the Kokugikan Arena on Sunday August 1, 2021.
In boxing at the Olympics, a losing semifinalist gets a bronze medal meaning, the 20 year old, who lost his semifinal fight against Duke Ragan has won a Bronze medal, Ghana’s first medal in boxing at the Olympics since Prince Amartey’s medal in 1972.
The entire country was thrown into wild celebration after Samuel Takyi clinched a medal at the ongoing Olympic Games in Tokyo and according to the NSA boss in an interview with LUV FM’s, this achievement will only spur on young men and women to pursue a career in boxing.
“The featherweight Olympic champion Samuel Takyi has been a great inspiration to everyone in Ghana especially young men and women who aspire to be boxers”. He said.
“I think for almost about 50 years, 1972 when we had our very last boxing title [medal] at the Olympics, it is this young man tobe able to break this silence and I think that’s a very great achievement.
“I think that he is a young man, only 20 years and he has a lot of opportunities ahead, we will continue to mold him”.
Prof Twumasi, who is the leader of government delegation in Tokyo also acknowledged the impact of coach of the Black Bombers, Mr Ofori Asare on Samuel Takyi.
“You know his coach, Mr Asare, he is a staff of the National Sports Authority and he has been very excellent in managing these athletes that he brought to Tokyo and I believe, he has a bigger plan to be able to entice many others especially when we have also boosted our technical strength in the Authority”. He added.
Source: Stephen Afful/NSA