AIS student wins gold for Ghana at West Africa athletics championship
A second year Senior High School student of the Akosombo
International School (AIS), a subsidiary of the Volta River Authority
(VRA) has earned a gold medal to lift the flag of Ghana high at the
just-ended International Invitational Athletics Competition
involving five West African countries in La Cote D'Ivoire.
Kweku Ayim, who was part of the nine-member U-18 Ghana
National Athletics Team secured the gold medal from the Discus
throwing discipline also shattered the existing U-18 Five-Nation
International record of 37.14 meters. He established a new
remarkable record of 39.03 meters earning his school and the
country immense pride and glory.
The competition featured teams from Côte d'Ivoire, Benin, Togo,
Burkina Faso, and Ghana.
Visibly elated Headmistress of Akosombo International School,
Mrs. Sarah Adei noted that Kweku Ayim’s claim to international
fame underscored the level of dedication and commitment the
School imbibe in its students.
She indicated that the gold medalist’s perseverance during
training and his exceptional performance at the competition
demonstrate the values of hard work, teamwork and resilience that
students are taught in the school.
“We are incredibly proud of his accomplishments and excited to
have supported him. We will continue to work hard to unearth
more of such talents that will excel and make Ghana proud. Kweku
is indeed an inspiration to us all," she emphasised.
Recounting his journey to international recognition, Ayim credited
his teachers at AIS for recognizing his potential. He said the
teachers unearthed his talent when they encouraged him to
compete in the inter-house competition.
He then qualification for the ISSAG games hosted at SOS Herman
Gmeiner International College in Tema. This is where he started
shattering existing record and establishing new ones.
This achievement, he explained, earned him a spot on the Ghana
Youth Athletics Team, offering him the rare opportunity to
represent Ghana at the U-18 five-nation championships in Côte
d’Ivoire.
“I was overwhelmed and proud of myself for this great milestone.
With the help of my school coaches (Messers Asare, Boateng and
Insaidoo) I was taken through vigorous training in preparation
towards the competition,” he noted.
Ayim attributed his confidence and readiness for the tournament
to the comprehensive training and unwavering encouragement
from his coaches and parents. He added “I gave it my all and it
turned out to be the farthest discus throw of the tournament
thereby emerging as the winner of the Under 18 five-nation discus
throw championship”.