Athletics was never my dream - Botsyo Nkegbe

Raphael Botsyo Nkegbe, the only three-time Ghanaian Paralympian has stated that he wanted to be an engineer growing up but diverted to sports at a later stage in his life.

Botsyo Nkegbe who is gifted in crafts including weaving and leather narrated to the GNA Sports how he shifted attention to Para Sports in the course of his life.

According to the 41-year old athlete, he developed an interest in Para Sports when he attended a meeting with the Ghana Society Physical Disability (GSPD) and joined their training afterward to throw footballs in a wheelchair.

He said “I wanted to be an engineer as a child because of my creativity. I Learnt vocational skills in school, weaving, and leather works in school but along the line, I diverted to sports.

“I didn’t dream of becoming an athlete. I didn’t know of para-sports back then. Back in school what I do is to cheer on athletes who participated in other disciplines.

“I developed an interest in sports after a meeting I had with a company named Ghana Society of Physical Disability (GSPD). That was where it started and I took it to the next level.”

Botsyo Nkegbe, who developed Polio at age six was the first Ghanaian to qualify for the Paralympics in 2004 in Athens.

He has won Gold medals for Ghana at the international level and became the first para-athlete to qualify for the Paralympics in 2020 in Tokyo.

Botsyo Nkegbe, who is married to a Para-athlete and having three kids showered praises to his wife who has sacrificed and played a huge role in his excelling career.