Takyi beaming with smiles after the bout INSET: GOC President Ben Nunoo Mensah flanked by Takyi ® and Shakul Samed
Ghana’s Samuel Takyi won the country’s first Olympic medal yesterday in the ongoing Olympic Games in Tokyo; ending the 29-year wait.
It was Ghana’s first memento in close to three decades after deceased coach Sam Arday led the men’s U-23 football team (Black Meteors) to win bronze at the 1992 Games in Barcelona.
Indeed, “…that is the medal no one saw coming,” the commentator declared at the end of the fight, after Takyi started slowly, particularly in the first round.
The featherweight boxer posted a 3-2 point in the quarter-final over Colombia’s Ceiber David Segura to guarantee himself a medal at the Tokyo Games.
Takyi, 20, will now face America’s Duke Ragan tomorrow in the semi-finals. The winner and per rule, the winner in the semi final clash will fight for gold medal, while the loser automatically settles for bronze.
Boxing has proven to be a force to reckon with in Ghana’s Olympics medal hall; with three of the country’s four Olympic medals coming from the pugilistic sport.
In 1960, Clement Quartey won silver, with Eddie Blay and Prince Amartey claiming bronzes at the 1964 and 1972 Games respectively.
Takyi’s medal goes into Africa’s boxing history as the only memento for the continent in men’s boxing in the ongoing sports festival in Tokyo.
But should the only other African boxer, Algeria’s Imane Khalif in the women’s Lightweight division prove equal to the task when she faces Ireland’s Kellie Harrington tomorrow (quarter-final), she will join Takyi on the medal table.
By Kofi Owusu Aduonum