By earning spots in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Rose Yeboah and Abdul-Rasheed Saminu have created history and demonstrated Ghana’s growing track and field prowess.
Rose Yeboah qualified for the 2024 Olympics by setting a new national record in the women’s high jump with a remarkable leap of 1.97 meters. She also won the 2024 NCAA D1 national title in high jump, making history as the first female athlete from Ghana to win this esteemed title.
Abdul-Rasheed Saminu achieved a noteworthy feat by meeting the Olympic Qualifying Standard Time in the 200-meter dash. In addition to breaking the program record with a time of 20.12 seconds, he qualified to compete for Ghana at the Olympics. Saminu also had an outstanding performance in the 100-meter dash, coming in fifth place in 10.02 seconds, his personal best time without the wind.
At the NCAA Championship Meet, Saminu won two First Team All-American awards in less than 45 minutes, helping the University of South Florida (USF) celebrate a fantastic year. His achievements brought an incredible year of success for USF to an end, one that saw a record number of athletes advance to the NCAA Semifinals and the team win its first-ever men’s and women’s conference titles.
“Yesterday capped off a great year for our program, and I am very proud of the effort given by our teams,” said Erik Jenkins, USF’s Director of Cross Country and Track & Field. “That effort has produced two Men’s AAC team championships, program-best finishes for our women’s team in the AAC championship, multiple school records, numerous All-American accolades, and a second consecutive top-30 finish for our men at the NCAA Outdoor Championship.”
Saminu was third in the NCAA Championship final and ran a mark in the 200-meter dash that qualified him for the Olympics (20.12 seconds). His previous performance in the 100-meter dash, where he placed fifth in 10.02 seconds, demonstrated his versatility and quickness.
Saminu’s roommate Goodness Iredia completed the scoring for USF with a seventh-place finish in the long jump (7.86 meters), giving the men’s team 12 points and a 26th-place overall result in the NCAA Championship Meet.
The accomplishments of Abdul-Rasheed Saminu and Rose Yeboah not only strengthen Ghana’s standing in international athletics but also serve as an example for upcoming generations of athletes. Their commitment and accomplishments continue to be a source of pride for their country and the organizations they represent as they get ready for Paris 2024.
