Boxer Samuel Takyi has won his Olympic quarter-final, making him the first Ghanaian athlete to bring home an Olympic medal in 29 years.
Takyi defeated Colombia’s more seasoned boxer, David Ceiber Avila, 32, taking two of three rounds. Takyi will now face the USA’s Ragan Duke in the upcoming semi-final.
“There’s a lot of boxers in the world, also for me to be the standout guy on the USA team and being No. 1 and representing my country and of course from Cincinnati, Ohio, so it’s a big motivation for me because I know a lot of people wish they can be there,” Ragan said. “A lot of guys don’t really get their talent, especially from Cincinnati, so I just want to put on for these guys and give them motivation and hope.”
But Takyi will not make it easy for him. Takyi says he’s going to bring a gold medal home to his home country.
“I’m going to make history and I’m going to win the gold color,” Takyi said.
Ghana last won a medal in 1992 when its football team won bronze. The country’s last boxing medal was almost four decades ago when middleweight Prince Amartey took the bronze in Munch 1972. Clement Quartey took home the silver award for the event in 1960, while Eddie Blay took home bronze for the event four years later.
“I want boxers in my division to see me,” Takyi said in the ring per Reuters. “I’m the best and I will be the best ever. I’m going to do something, I’m going to make a great history.”
Takyi’s first love was actually football until he first put on a pair of boxing gloves. The rest is history. The boxer bested featherweight Mohamed Hamout of Morocco at the 2020 African Olympic boxing qualifiers in Dakar, Senegal.
