Ghana’s 4x100m relay team suffered a severe blow during the first heat of the highly anticipated 2024 World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas when they dropped the baton. This resulted in their disqualification and put their chances of qualifying for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris in jeopardy. The team still has a vital second opportunity to advance to the next round of heats, which is set for tonight, despite this incident.
The incident happened following a botched baton exchange between Benjamin Azamati and Isaac Botsio, causing the baton to fall to the ground and ending their immediate hopes of qualifying. Joseph Paul Amoah, Isaac Botsio, Ibrahim Fuseini, and Benjamin Azamati made up the relay team, which was up against formidable teams from the US, Brazil, Italy, Korea, the Bahamas, and Liberia.
This unfortunate event came on the first day of the competition, where the top two teams in each heat were expected to earn their spots for the Paris Olympics. Team Ghana’s dreams were not the only ones on the line, as several teams battled it out for the coveted Olympic slots in a series of relay events that included both men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m, as well as the mixed 4x400m relays.
In Heat Two of the second Olympic qualifying round, Team Ghana will take on Nigeria, Korea, and the Netherlands in anticipation of their second opportunity. The top two teams in this important race will automatically qualify for the Olympics in Paris. There is a lot of pressure on the squad to perform flawlessly in order to ensure their Olympic goals and move past their previous defeat.
Given the larger picture of the World Athletics Relays, where the top eight teams in each of the five disciplines have already been confirmed for Paris 2024 after Saturday’s competitions, the stakes are very high. These early qualifiers have raised the bar, emphasizing how difficult the relays are and how little room there is for error.
Fans and supporters in Ghana and around the world who are hoping for a successful qualification are growing increasingly excited, in addition to the athletes and officials. For any athlete, getting to compete in the Olympics in Paris is a huge accomplishment. For Team Ghana, the race is an even bigger opportunity to show fortitude and cooperation under duress.
