The Olympic wit and knowledge of an African skeleton racer : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3004x2003+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F10%2F35%2Fc5fb11504a6d82ce466641977568%2Fgettyimages-916805520.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3004x2003+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F10%2F35%2Fc5fb11504a6d82ce466641977568%2Fgettyimages-916805520.jpg" class="img" alt="Ghana's Akwasi Frimpong takes part in a training session for the men's skeleton event at the Olympic Sliding Centre, during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, on February 11, 2018." fetchpriority="high"/> Ghana's Akwasi Frimpong takes half in a coaching session for the lads's skeleton occasion within the 2018 Olympics. Kirill KudryavtsevAFP/through Getty Pictures cover caption

toggle caption

Kirill KudryavtsevAFP/through Getty Pictures For these not conversant in the game of skeleton, the place the solo sledder lies flat on their abdomen, head first, Akwasi Frimpong sums it up: "You are on a cookie sheet sled and it is like 'dude, good luck.'"

Skeleton was truly the third sport Frimpong took as much as chase his dream of changing into an Olympian.

Born in Ghana, Frimpong moved to the Netherlands when he was 8 as an undocumented immigrant. He finally received Dutch citizenship. He additionally took up observe within the Netherlands, and later bobsled, then skeleton. In 2018, he turned the primary male Black African skeleton racer to compete within the Olympics. (That very same 12 months, Simidele Adeagbo turned the primary feminine Black African skeleton athlete within the Olympics, competing on Nigeria's crew.)

NPR spoke with Frimpong in regards to the challenges of being an African athlete in a predominantly white sport, his basis referred to as Hope of a Billion and why not qualifying for the Olympics this 12 months could have saved his life.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5472x3648+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F62%2F14%2F49cc2616412993b98a6427ced66f%2Fghanian-olympian-1.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5472x3648+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F62%2F14%2F49cc2616412993b98a6427ced66f%2Fghanian-olympian-1.jpg" class="img" alt="PYEONGCHANG-GUN, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 16: Akwasi Frimpong of Ghana reacts in the finish area during the Men's Skeleton heats at Olympic Sliding Centre on February 16, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea. (" loading="lazy"/> Akwasi Frimpong of Ghana moved from sprinting to bobsledding to skeleton. reacts within the end space throughout the Males's Skeleton heats at Olympic Sliding Centre on February 16, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea. ( Richard Heathcote/Getty Pictures cover caption

toggle caption

Richard Heathcote/Getty Pictures This interview has been edited for size and readability.

On being a bobsled braker: "The man who makes certain that on the finish, he breaks — so no person dies" Are you able to inform me a bit about your journey into skeleton? How does somebody from Ghana get into this sport?

Once I was 15, I used to be recruited in observe and subject by a coach who was a two-time summer season Olympian. He actually believed that sooner or later I might grow to be an Olympian [in sprinting]. And since he believed in me, I began believing in myself and labored onerous towards that dream of going to the Summer season Olympics.

I received so far as being a part of the Netherlands pre-Olympic 4x100 meter relay crew for the 2012 London Olympic Video games, however attributable to a tendon damage, I wasn't capable of make it to the ultimate crew.

After that, I used to be recruited by the Netherlands bobsled crew due to my pace as a sprinter, to grow to be a brakeman — the man who makes certain that on the finish he breaks so no person dies. I used to be the second alternate for the 2014 Sochi Olympic Video games, which means I needed to wait at dwelling to listen to if somebody received injured. Fortunately, nobody did, which additionally meant that for the second time my dream did not come true.

That should've been disappointing. What did you do subsequent?

I completed college. However I could not discover a job instantly, so I went promoting Kirby vacuums door to door. After a few years, I bear in mind in the summertime of 2015, my spouse checked out me and mentioned "one thing's bugging you" and I used to be like, "I've that one factor on my bucket record nonetheless, in addition to being married to you — you shouldn't overlook to inform your spouse that." And he or she mentioned "Akwasi, I do not need you to be 99 years outdated and nonetheless whining about your Olympic dream."

I used to be recruited then to strive skeleton, going head first. At first I used to be like "Hell no, no please." Bobsled was already loopy. Lengthy story brief, I gave skeleton a shot. At first it was like "Oh my gosh, that is scary." However as I made it down, I wished to return to the highest and do it once more.

Why did you resolve to compete for Ghana as a substitute of the Netherlands?

My "why" needed to be greater than myself. I might compete for the Netherlands, the place I'd get extra assets, extra assist, however I made a decision to compete for Ghana to do one thing that hadn't been performed earlier than, actually educate folks to return out of their consolation zone.

I wished to symbolize the folks of my nation, 30 million folks, ship a message again dwelling of what's potential whenever you work onerous, consider in your self and by no means hand over.

Did that call have an effect on how simple it was to coach?

We do not have our personal skeleton observe in Ghana, and I haven't got as quick access to Western tracks as a Ghanaian athlete. There are solely 17 tracks [for bobsled and skeleton] on this planet, so there was loads of touring concerned. I educated in Utah but in addition traveled to Lake Placid, Canada, Europe and Asia to get some further coaching in.

On what it takes to do skeleton: "Worry is an enormous a part of it, it's a must to discover ways to embrace it." How do you practice for skeleton? I think about it is completely different from observe and even bobsled?

Being a quick sprinter helps, [because of the running start] and I did loads of dash coaching. However there's nonetheless a lot talent and approach it's a must to be taught, even for the push off. After that, you are on a cookie sheet sled and it is like "dude, good luck."

Worry is an enormous a part of it, it's a must to discover ways to embrace it.

What was it like coming right into a sport dominated by wealthier, whiter international locations?

At first, folks positively take a look at you slightly bit completely different — huge eyeballs, and are like "oh my gosh, the place are you from, what are you doing right here?"

The athletes actually like you numerous whenever you come as a result of they're like "oh there is a child from Africa that I can beat" till you begin beating them. Then the dynamic modifications a bit. Nevertheless it's an amazing neighborhood, for certain.

You ended up qualifying and competing within the 2018 video games. What was that like?

A dream come true. To be the primary Black male from Africa to compete in skeleton, representing 1.4 billion folks, that itself was value gold.

I used to be additionally actually proud to wave the flag of my nation and ship a message again dwelling to all the youngsters strolling barefoot or folks that suppose that they do not have something happening for themselves, to hopefully encourage them and empower them.

The reception was unbelievable from all around the world, not simply from Africa. We acquired messages about folks desirous to strive the game, from Mexico, Malaysia, NIgeria, Togo, Ivory Coast.

You stored on racing even after the video games. What motivated you?

I by no means wished to be the African athlete who simply made headlines, I wished to be aggressive. After 2018, I knew I might get higher however wanted the assets and assist to get higher. Financing has been a troublesome factor to do, discover new sponsors, new companions. You might have a household, a mortgage, it will get costly.

However I've grow to be profitable within the sport. That does not imply you are all the time going to make the Olympic Video games, however I've competed in 5 World Championships, turned the primary African to win an elite skeleton race in Park Metropolis, Utah.

You ended up not qualifying for the 2026 video games. What occurred?

I really feel like I did very well by way of execution and sliding, however sadly it wasn't ok to make it. A part of it was an tools problem, however the sport can also be simply getting extra aggressive.

Quick ahead a couple of weeks later, and [I] realized it was perhaps for a superb cause. I simply had surgical procedure final week for a ruptured appendix. The ache began on February 6, [the day of] the opening ceremony. If I might have been in Italy, I in all probability would've ignored the ache and will not have been right here to speak proper now.

On being an altruist: "When you'll be able to assist a child discover your ardour, they transfer in a different way on this planet." What's subsequent?

My spouse and I've a basis, referred to as the Hope of a Billion basis. We go world wide and educate youngsters about resilience and domesticate their inherent energy to go after their objectives and goals. We go into the colleges and we educate them about rules that I discovered to go after my objectives and goals. You already know, consider in your self, work onerous, by no means hand over.

It is about actually, actually serving to these youngsters showcase that they've one thing particular inside them and assist them discover their ardour. When you'll be able to assist a child discover your ardour, they transfer in a different way on this planet. They present up in a different way in school. They get up slightly bit earlier. They do issues completely completely different.

Are you hanging up the sled now?

I turned 40 a pair days in the past, this was my final hurrah. Possibly I will seize my sled every so often for enjoyable, however I am at peace with it. Now I hope to mentor, to teach, to assist others in underrepresented nations within the sport. I am not performed being concerned in inspiring.