Abeiku Jackson calls Rio 2016 appearance his ‘Gold Medal’
Abeiku Jackson says his greatest expectation will always be to raise the flag of Ghana high at the Olympic Games
Amid the buzz of the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Ghanaian swimming prodigy Abeiku Jackson shared touching reflections on his Olympic debut, ambitions and the road ahead.
Jackson, now 23, was speaking to Olympics.com and fondly recalls his participation in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games as a personal triumph akin to winning gold.
“For me, being at the Olympics was good enough because I set a target to make it there aged 16, and achieving that was a gold medal for me irrespective of the outcome,” expressed the determined swimmer.
His journey began at the tender age of 10, when he resolved to pursue swimming professionally. Within four short years, Jackson’s dedication propelled him to qualify for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, marking the onset of his remarkable career trajectory.
In 2016, Jackson etched his name in Ghanaian sporting history as one of the nation’s inaugural Olympic swimming qualifiers, alongside Kaya Forson. The young star would face stiff competition in the Men’s 50m freestyle event at Rio, but would show his potential by finishing in the 55th spot out of 86 participants.
Fast forward to 2024, and Jackson’s sights are set on a return to the Olympic stage in Paris. However, his recent endeavours at the World Aquatics Championships saw him fall short in the Men’s 50m and 100m butterfly events, culminating in 36th and 38th place finishes, respectively.
Nevertheless, Jackson remains resolute in his pursuit, seizing another opportunity to clinch a coveted Olympic berth at the upcoming 13th African Games scheduled in Accra, Ghana, from 8 to 23 March.
Reflecting on his aspirations, Jackson affirmed, “For me, my greatest expectation will always be to raise the flag of Ghana high at the games. I think every Ghanaian athlete like myself would want to sweep as many medals as we can. So for us, it should be a host and win.”
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