West Texas A&M graduate Benjamin Azamati double qualifies for 2024 Paris Summer Olympics

CANYON, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – Benjamin Azamati, a professional sprinter, represented Ghana in the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics where he competed in the 100-meter dash and ran the second leg of the 4×100-meter relay. This year, he’s headed to Paris.

“My favorite memory was being able to put on the country’s jersey in the Olympics,” Azamati said. “It was a great thing to represent my country and then in the nation. When I was on the starting line, I was very, very proud of myself.”

Azamati double qualified for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics in the 100-meter and in the 4×100 relay for team Ghana earlier this year. The West Texas A&M University graduate said he learned much from his first Olympic games that he will be able to use this year.

“It was my first time and was straight off college,” Azamati said. “There were a lot of things that I didn’t know. Listening well to your body, how your body feels. There were a lot of things in the village that could have really, really helped me like seeing a chiro, and all that. I was not aware of those things, but now I know them and I think I could use them to benefit myself this time.”

Azamati said regardless of being injured last year, he knew that he had to train and strive to be at the Olympics again.

“I was looking forward to it since the last year training towards it, so I’ve enjoyed every part of the journey,” he said. “I wouldn’t say the journey has been that tough for me. Having to be in the Olympics back-to-back is something that I can boast about. I think that journey has really been me enjoying the process and having fun with it and doing what I like most.”

According to Azamati, he never doubted that he would be able to qualify either by running the qualifying time or by ranking.

“Being able to qualify in the month where qualification ends was a relief for me,” he said. “I never had a doubt I would qualify, so it was a little bit relieving and taking pressure off of myself.”

With soccer being Ghana’s dominant sport, Azamati said it feels amazing to have the whole country looking forward to him running and representing Ghana.

“For someone to be doing well in track and going to represent them in the Olympics is a major thing,” he said. “They are all backing me and having their support for me as well as the people here in Canyon and Amarillo.”

Azamati will leave for the Olympic Village on Saturday, July 20, and will arrive on Sunday, July 21. The athletics events begin on Aug. 1 with the men’s 100-meter preliminaries starting Saturday, Aug. 3, and the first round of the men’s 4×100-meter relay scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 8.

“Going up and giving my best is all I can do. That’s all I can control,” Azamati said. “I have to think of each round and each race and not put pressure on myself. The goal is to focus on every round and get into the finals and be able to run well and hopefully get a medal for my country.”

For the latest Amarillo news and regional updates, check with MyHighPlains.com and tune in to KAMR Local 4 News at 5:00, 6:00, and 10:00 p.m. and Fox 14 News at 9:00 p.m. CST.