Ghana’s bronze medalist at the just-ended Tokyo Olympics, Samuel Takyi, has earned a car and cash reward of $30,000 from President Nana Akufo-Addo.
The president announced on Friday, 20 August 2021 at the Jubilee House when the Olympics delegation visited him, that Takyi will get a cash sum of $10,000 for his efforts at the Olympic Games and an additional $20,000 which will be put in a fund for his future.
Apart from Takyi, each member of the 14-member team will receive a cash reward of $5,000.
In total, the president noted, the government is spending $150,000 on bonuses for the athletes.
The president, at the ceremony, said: “For the first time ever, a Ghanaian athlete, Samuel Takyi, was selected to represent Africa at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games”.
“For the first time in the history of the 4th Republic, Ghana won a medal at the Olympics”, he added.
“Out of the 52 African countries that participated at the Olympics, Ghana placed 10th on the continent”, the president said.
“This should spur us on to even greater heights in future competitions”, he added.
“On behalf of the people of Ghana, I say a big hearty ‘ayekoo’ to all of you. You made the country proud,” President Akufo-Addo said.
Samuel Takyi won a boxing bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Ghana’s first podium finish in 29 years, but his incredible Olympic journey came to an end in the semi-final at the hands of the USA’s Duke Ragan.
Takyi returned to Ghana a hero, bringing a bronze with him that represents Ghana’s first boxing medal since 1972 and the country’s first in any sport since the football team won bronze at Barcelona ’92.
The 20-year-old Takyi defied all the odds at his debut Olympics, proving that there’s much more to come from this talented fighter.
He joins the pantheon of Ghanaian Olympic boxing greats Clement Quartey, a light welterweight, who won silver in Rome 1960, Eddie Blay a bronze light-welterweight medalist from Tokyo 1964, and Prince Amartey who made history in Munch 1972.
