Ghana Wheelchair team triumphs despite setbacks at OCC
Ghana's 3-man team brings home two golds and one silver medal from the event
Ghana’s national wheelchair team overcame logistical challenges to shine at the 20th edition of the Outeniqua Chair Challenge (OCC), held at the Carpe Diem School in George, South Africa, on 24 February.
Despite a delay in Johannesburg, South Africa, which resulted in the team’s late arrival the night before the event, the trio—Raphael Botsyo Nkegbe, Maclean Atsu Dzidzienyo, and Emmanuel Kwaku Gyasi—showcased their prowess and brought home an impressive haul of medals.
Ghana’s team captain, Raphael Botsyo Nkegbe, reflecting on the experience, expressed, “Our plan is to arrive on 22nd and a bit rest, then we can go through all the necessary process of registering, but it is unfortunate we get to Joburg; we couldn’t get a connecting flight coming down here, so we need to spend a night in Joburg, but it was good finally; we got here last night, just five hours or six hours sleep, but we are good to go, ready for the day.”
Competing in different categories, Nkegbe and Dzidzienyo participated in the T54 42km race, while Gyasi competed in the T54 21km category. Nkegbe’s exceptional performance earned him a gold medal in the T54 42km category with a remarkable time of 1’55.56s—Nkegbe’s fourth medal and third gold in the OCC, his last coming in 2015, 2018, and 2020—while Dzidzienyo clinched the silver medal, finishing closely behind with a time of 2’05.43s. Gyasi showcased dominance in the T53 21km race, securing the gold medal with a time of 1’36.40s.
Prior to their departure to South Africa, team captain Nkegbe appealed for support from the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) of Ghana and the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS), speaking on the team’s commitment to bringing honour to their nation on the global stage.
“As this year marks the Paralympics year in Paris 2024, we hope the effort we are putting in as individuals to make the nation proud will be recognised by the leadership of the NPC Ghana and the Ministry of Youth and Sports,” Nkegbe emphasised.
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