This weekend, the Ghanaian Paracycling team battled it out against South Africa, Burkina Faso and Albania at the 4th edition of Africa Paracyling Championship held in Ghana’s capital, Accra. Both Alem Mumuni and Raphael Botsyo Nkegbe, para-athletes enrolled in the Right to Dream Paralympic Programme, competed for their nation in the C2 cycling and H4 hand-cycling respectively supported by a team of energetic and enthusiastic Right to Dream boys and staff.
After winning the 12.8km time trial on Saturday morning, Alem went on to defend his title as African Champion in the C2 class racing a further 51.2km on Sunday. Ghana team mates Ernest Ayisi and Abubakari Zakari supported his efforts coming in second and third. Raphael Botsyo Nkegbe, whose major sport is wheelchair track racing, completed the H4 race in a respectable 4th position. Team Ghana efforts have resulted in Ghana being guaranteed one place at London 2012 for para-cycling but the class is yet to be determined.
Alem commented, ‘I am so pleased to be African Champion for the third consecutive time and to have made my nation proud. I hope that I will now be able to go on to represent Ghana at the London 2012 Paralympic Games and raise awareness about disability through my sporting achievements’.
Susie Daniell, Head of Paralympic Programme at Right to Dream, commented, ‘It was a wonderful occasion to see so many of Ghana’s paracyclists competing this weekend. Just two years ago, Ghana sent just one paracyclist to the Africa Championships and now they are hosting the event – it is great to see such progress. Alem has been training hard and it is great to see his efforts being rewarded. There is clearly talent in Ghana for para-sports and by supporting the development of the most talented athletes we hope to contribute towards Ghana becoming a leading nation in this field as well as challenging negative perceptions towards the disabled’.
The Right to Dream Paralympic Programme is currently supported by Hull Blyth, Aviance, Pippa’s Gym and PHC Motors.
For further information, please visit the
Paralympic section of our website and follow our athletes on our
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