<![CDATA[Competing in this year’s Paralympic Games scheduled for 29th August to 9th September, 2012 in London, are Alem Mumuni, Charles Narh Teye, Rapheal Nkegbe Botsyo and Anita Fordjour. Alem successfully defended his title as African champion in December last year and went on to participate at the International Cycling Union (UCI) Para-Cycling Road World Championship, where he was one of two Africans. He is the first Ghanaian para-cyclist to compete at a Paralympic Games, thus making history for Ghana.
“The battle has just begun. I will work hard to make Ghana and Africa proud. It is a great honour to qualify,” said Alem.
Teye, a Powerlifter, made the qualifying mark after winning gold at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Powerlifting Invitational Tournament in the United Kingdom last January, as well as participating in a similar event in Dubai recently.
Teye added “Qualifying for London 2012 is not easy but sports have made me to realize I could do everything able persons can. I will use this opportunity to help others believe too.”
Botsyo is a two-time Paralympian whilst Fordjour won bronze at the 2011 All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique; Both are wheelchair track athletes’.
Tosan Woode; Head of Sales and Marketing at Virgin Atlantic said “We are so excited to be supporting such a great programme with the Right to Dream Organisation, we wish the Athletes all the best and congratulate them for all the hard work put into the programme.
Susie Daniell, head of Paralympic Programme of Right to Dream, said the long term vision of the programme is to establish the first ever residential youth programme for para-sports at the Academy.
Competing at London 2012 is not the end of the mission; the athletes are determined to use the opportunity and platform on the world stage to become role models for society, changing the perception of disability in Ghana and inspiring the next generation of para-sporting talent to become world class athletes and leaders of change. It is the athletes’ ambition that they sow the seeds for the next generation of Ghanaian disabled athletes.
At the moment they are in Bedford undergoing intensive National Paralympic Committee (NPC) training camp as they bid to make history for their country at London 2012. This year’s Games marks the first time four athletes have competed for Ghana at a Paralympic Games.]]>
