THE STORY SO FAR
International athlete Akwasi Frimpong made history in 2018 when he became the first Skeleton athlete from Ghana. Akwasi was just the second Winter Olympian from Ghana. In 2020 he became the first skeleton athlete from Africa to win an elite skeleton race sanctioned by the USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation in Park City, Utah. Now, Akwasi wants to use his passion and his own inspirational story to represent not just a country, but a continent. Akwasi was born and raised in Ghana and moved to the Netherlands when he was eight. He didn’t start running until he was 15, and hasn’t stopped since. Akwasi refused to allow life’s challenges to derail an athletic career that includes more than a dozen medals in international events. In short, he used setbacks to make giant strides forward.
In addition to being an Olympic athlete, Akwasi is also a father, entrepreneur and public speaker who has inspired thousands of people. In fact, Akwasi says one of the best days of his life was knowing his then-9-month-old daughter was watching him fulfill his Olympic dream. Akwasi’s belief that anything is possible with resilience, determination and hard work led him to his appearance in the 2018 Winter Olympics, a journey he believes will inspire The Hope of a Billion in the years ahead.
Akwasi believes what you need for success is already planted deep down inside of you. He believes success comes from believing in yourself with a positive attitude combined with hard work and persistence.
It is that positive attitude Akwasi will use to fuel him to become Africa’s first Winter Olympics medalist and along the way inspire everyone to overcome their own adversity with courage, and share.
Growing up poor in a one-room home in Kumasi, Ghana, Akwasi Frimpong always dared to dream. At the age of eight he immigrated to the Netherlands. He had never left his hometown or seen white people before. He didn’t speak the language and he struggled to make friends at school. But Akwasi was determined to find his place in his new home. He taught himself Dutch by reading books from the library and threw himself into sports.
By 2002, Akwasi was popular, in high school and had earned the nickname GoldenSprint for his speed on the track and field course. “I asked my coach what I needed to do to become a gold medallist,” says Akwasi. “He spoke to me about self-discipline and it all started from there.” Within 18 months at the age of 17, Akwasi became the Dutch Junior Track & Field 200m champion. “I was the best in my country and won my first gold medal,” he says. “From then on, I knew anything is possible as long as you believe in yourself.”
