People & Lifestyle
Exclusive: The story behind the white teenager who won medals for Ghana at World Unicycling Convention and Championships
The internet has been buzzing since Ŋmamprugu-based American photographer, William Haun tweeted that his son, Trey Roger Haun II had won two Unicycling World Championship medals for Ghana, the nation’s first!
Trey won silver in the 30m Wheel Walk Race (15-16yr Male) and bronze in the 50m One-Wheel Race (15-16yr Male).
This boy of mine took two Unicycling World Championship medals for Ghana – the nations’s first. I couldn’t be more proud of him for all his hard work and perseverance!
🥈 30m Wheel Walk Race (15-16yr Male)
🥉 50m One-Wheel Race (15-16yr Male)#UNICON20 #UNICON #UNICYCLING pic.twitter.com/750s6JaBV3
— William Haun (@whaun) August 2, 2022
William shared more details on Twitter as Ghanaians started showing a lot of interest in his story.
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Ghana 🇬🇭 Twitter is blowing up and asking for videos of Trey’s Unicycle World Championship races so here they are (apologies to those who don’t understand Mampruli but you’ll get the gist). pic.twitter.com/jKliW9jnxq
— William Haun (@whaun) August 3, 2022
He also shared another video speaking Mampruli so the people of the community of Ŋmamprugu wouldn’t miss out of the good news.
Here is the second race: 30m Wheel Walk Race (15-16 male), in which Trey took 2nd place silver medal 🥈 for Ghana 🇬🇭 at UNICON20. Video is in Mampruli but I’m just explaining the type of race, the warm-up, my anxiety about him falling and then we celebrate the win. pic.twitter.com/CyJrTQ9l5R
— William Haun (@whaun) August 3, 2022
William Haun and his wife Heidi have been living in Ghana since Heidi accepted her position as a general surgeon at the Baptist Medical Centre (BMC) in October 2014. The couple and their children, Trey and KJ returned to Ghana as career missionaries serving with the International Mission Board(IMB). The ministry, based in Naraligu, is multi-faceted, running the gamut of medical care, volunteer coordinating, pastoral ministry, discipleship, and personal evangelism. Their priority is to make Christ’s name known to the peoples of northern Ghana.
Heidi was in her fourth and final year of medical school at University of South Florida (USF) when she joined IMB’s medical receptorship program. Between October 2007 – January 2008, the program paid all of Heidi’s expenses to work for two months or more at any overseas Baptist hospital. Heidi decided to go to Nalerigu to work at the Baptist Medical Clinic for 3 months. Her time there counted as a foreign study rotation at USF.
The Haun Family . Credit: haunsinafrica.com
William used the trip to offer computer support to the hospital and personnel in Nalerigu. He also spent 45 days traveling around West Africa doing media coverage for IMB.
On the family’s official website for their adventures in Ghana, it says “Trey, aka “Cutest Baby in the US of A,” went to Ghana to try and claim the international title by checking out the competition overseas. He primarily served as “morale booster” for his parents when they were tired of the heat and long work hours.”
Well today, Trey has made Ghana proud as he brings these medals from Unicon home! In a Twitter post, William Haun said “We live in Nalerigu and will be presenting the medals to Naa Bɔhagu Abdulai Mahami Sherifa, Overlord of Mamprugu. He is the one who named my son “Manboora” and gave me the title “Sulimiisina’akyinaaba”.
The UNICON – which means “UNIcycle CONvention” – is the biggest unicycling gathering. Each time, 1500 to 2000 participants come for a period of 12 days. For the first time of its history, the UNICON is taking place in Grenoble, France – the heart of the Alps from 26th July – 6th August 2022.