Para athletes, Alem Mumuni and Charles Narh Teye have qualified for the London 2012 Paralympics Games scheduled for 29 August to 9 September, 2012.
Alem successfully defended his title as African champion in December last year and went on to participate at the International Cycling Union (UCI) Para-Cycling Road World Championship, where he was one of two Africans.
Alem is the first Ghanaian para-cyclist to compete at a Paralympic Games, thus making history for his country, Ghana
“The battle has just begun. I will work hard to make Ghana and Africa proud. It is a great honour to qualify,” Alem noted.
Teye, a Powerlifter, made the qualifying mark after winning gold at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Powerlifting Invitational Tournament in the United Kingdom last January, as well as participating in a similar event in Dubai recently.
An elated Teye said “Qualifying for London 2012 is not easy but sports has made me to realize I could do everything able persons can. I will use this opportunity to help others believe too.”
The duo are among four para-athletes being supported by the Right to Dream Paralympic Programme.
The other two, Raphael Nkegbe Botsyo and Anita Fordjour, are both currently on a trip to the United Kingdom and Switzerland in their bid to secure A-standard times in the respective events.
Botsyo is a two-time Paralympian whilst Fordjour won bronze at the 2011 All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique.
Qualifying for the London Olympics is not the end of the athletes' mission, they are all determined to use this opportunity and platform to change the perception of disability in Ghana from a negative to a positive one and to inspire the next generation of talent to become world-class athletes.
"I want to change people's perception about people with physical disabilities- I have seen that the talent I have in sports is one of the tools I can use to do that", added Alem.
Susie Daniell, head of Paralympic Programme of Right to Dream, said the long term vision of the programme is to establish the first ever residential youth programme for para-sports at the Academy.
She therefore called for partnership to support the athletes in the lead up to the London 2012 and to position Ghana at the forefront of the Paralympic Movement in Africa.
The Right to Dream Paralympic Programme is sponsored by Hull Blyth, Aviance, Pippa's Health Centre and PHC Motors.**
