The road to winning Africa’s first winter Olympic Games medal is long and hard. Your support will go a long way. “Your support is appreciated”
THE STORY SO FAR
International athlete Akwasi Frimpong made history in 2018 when he became the first Skeleton athlete from Ghana. Akwasi was just the second Winter Olympian from Ghana. In 2020 he became the first skeleton athlete from Africa to win an elite skeleton race sanctioned by the USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation in Park City, Utah. Now, Akwasi wants to use his passion and his own inspirational story to represent not just a country, but a continent. Akwasi was born and raised in Ghana and moved to the Netherlands when he was eight. He didn’t start running until he was 15, and hasn’t stopped since. Akwasi refused to allow life’s challenges to derail an athletic career that includes more than a dozen medals in international events. In short, he used setbacks to make giant strides forward.…
In addition to being an Olympic athlete, Akwasi is also a father, entrepreneur and public speaker who has inspired thousands of people. In fact, Akwasi says one of the best days of his life was knowing his then-9-month-old daughter was watching him fulfill his Olympic dream. Akwasi’s belief that anything is possible with resilience, determination and hard work led him to his appearance in the 2018 Winter Olympics, a journey he believes will inspire The Hope of a Billion in the years ahead.
Akwasi believes what you need for success is already planted deep down inside of you. He believes success comes from believing in yourself with a positive attitude combined with hard work and persistence.
It is that positive attitude Akwasi will use to fuel him to become Africa’s first Winter Olympics medalist and along the way inspire everyone to overcome their own adversity with courage, and share #TheHopeOfABillion.
Management Team
Eric Ariëns Agent
Founder and country manager Strossle Benelux
Oral Ofori
Publicist, Africa.
Robby Messer
Communications Director
Ahmed Ben Yerrou
Europe Rep Finance and marketing Specialist
Danny Tawiah Agent / Manager
Former Nike Global branding and innovation VP
Partners
HOPE OF A BILLION
Being the Hope of a Billion is being an example for more than a billion Africans who have been told their dreams are not possible. I want to be the example that any dream, whether it is being a doctor, a lawyer, or an Olympian, is possible with hard work, dedication and perseverance.…
Hope of a Billion is setting a goal to do the unthinkable. For me, it is becoming the first African to win a winter medal in the winter Olympics. Being that example is one of the things that makes me work so hard, because everything worth doing, requires hard work.It’s becoming the HOPE for a billion underdogs who refuse to give up on their dreams.
Frimpong Channel
Om anderen te inspireren stuitert Akwasi Frimpong (38) nog altijd op een slee naar beneden
In 2018, tijdens de Olympische Spelen in Zuid-Korea, stond de Ghanese skeletonner Akwasi Frimpong volop in de internationale schijnwerpers. Hij is nog altijd actief. Er is een nieuw doel: de Winterspelen van 2026. ‘Eigenlijk ben ik net begonnen.’
Akwasi Frimpong revels in representing Ghana at 2024 Skeleton World Championships
The 38-year-old finished 28th and, therefore, missed out on the final of the Championships by just three spots despite putting in his best performance.
UVU Alumni Story: Akwasi Frimpong ’13
Meet Akwasi Frimpong ’13, a relentless force who began his remarkable journey in Kumasi, Ghana. At age eight, he moved to the Netherlands with his mother. There, he won the Dutch junior championship with only two years of running experience. Akwasi’s passion for running catapulted him to unprecedented heights, earning him the distinction of being the first Black male skeleton athlete from Africa and the first from Ghana to compete in the Winter Olympics.
Utah Valley University: A Transformative Chapter
Seeking opportunities beyond the Netherlands, Akwasi embarked on a life-changing venture to the United States, armed with an athletics scholarship from Utah Valley University (UVU). At UVU, he found a home that nurtured his potential, surrounded by professors, coaches, and peers who propelled him to break records both in the school and nationally.
“UVU gave me a home to be myself and allowed me to excel as a student-athlete,” Akwasi reflects. “It was as if UVU saw my inner potential and tried to squeeze all of it out of me to reach the next level.”
Watch:
Ghana’s Akwasi Frimpong – A Day at the BMW IBSF World Championships 2023
Watch:
Hope of a Billion
Forever Living Products International Aloe Life Vol.8 Magazine Cover With Akwasi Frimpong
Watch: The Olympic Channel
Watch: 2018 PyeongChang | Official Film | Crossing Beyond
The Games are more than a competition and the winnings. Flowers bloom on every border. A film by Yi Seung-jun
Watch: How to become the hope of a billion | Akwasi Frimpong | TEDxAlkmaar
Watch: Akwasi Frimpong blog
Life on the professional skeleton tour
Watch: Let Your Past,
Inspire Your Future – Frimpong Sportswear
Watch: Follow the new skeleton season
Through the eyes of the Black Panther
Watch: My Story :
Akwasi Frimpong
Watch: Journey of an Olympian:
The Long Road to the Olympics
Athlete, entrepreneur and motivational speaker!
Athlete, entrepreneur and motivational speaker, Akwasi Frimpong is an inspiration to millions around the world.
Having faced numerous personal and professional setbacks, he didn’t let those challenges hold him back.…
Instead, Akwasi transformed those obstacles into opportunities to build a better future for himself. Akwasi believes anything is possible with resilience, determination and hard work. His perseverance didn’t go unnoticed.
Akwasi has made a name for himself in the sporting world. He has successfully represented his country in several local and international sports events, including the Great West Indoor Championships.
Currently, Akwasi hopes to change the sporting history for his birthplace, Ghana, by competing in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Akwasi’s personal story is of courage and triumph in the face of adversity. It’s an extraordinary story that will inspire and motivate you!