Paris 2024: Made it a point to make semifinals after missing out in Tokyo- Benjamin Azamati [VIDEO]

Ghana’s Benjamin Azamati has qualified to compete in the Men’s 100 Metre semifinals at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

He secured his spot by finishing second in his heat with a time of 10:08 seconds behind Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson who finished with a time of 10:00 seconds. Thompson is in the Olympics as the world’s fastest man this year having clocked a time of 9.77 seconds.

Azamati missed out on progressing from the Heats at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and is happy his immediate aim has been achieved in an interview with Ghana Olympic Committee media.

“It’s more about representing and inspiring the young athletes back home. Anytime I put on the jersey, I’m just happy to do my best. My first outing in the Olympics, I got out in the heats so I made it a point to come out here and get into the Semifinals.”

Azamati will compete in Heat One in the semifinals against the likes of reigning World Athletics Champion Noah Lyles and Jamaica’s Oblique Seville. Fellow Ghanaian Sprinter Abdul-Rasheed Saminu will compete in Heat 3 against former World Champion Fred Kerley, Thompson and Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala.

The top two finishers in each of the three heats progress to the finals with the two fastest time finishers. Heat One commences at 18:05 GMT on Sunday, August 4.

Scroll down to watch interview.

Team Ghana’s 🇬🇭 Benjamin Azamati’s reaction after securing a semi-final spot in the men’s 100m race. #Paris2024 Olympics pic.twitter.com/vImBOdFRCW

— Benjamin Willie Graham (@willie_grah) August 3, 2024