ASM: The reality is that after your Skeleton Career is over with, … after all is said and done, and I know it’s kind of early to be asking you this at this stage as you are only just starting out in this discipline. What legacies do you want to leave behind you eventually?
Akwasi Frimpong: That’s another great question, I think I want to leave a legacy behind that is cherished, respected, and embraced. I want to leave something behind for the kids in Ghana and Africa so that they can look up and say, “Hey we want to be that “or “We want to be better than that”. One of the most important thing I want to leave behind is the attitude that; - No matter how hard life is, and how much hardships you’ve been through you should always push on and don’t make excuses.
No matter how hard things are; believe me, there’s so many people who have succeeded coming from way worse than what I have been through and they still made it. I want to leave something behind me and show that it is possible that we as Africans have what it takes to be the best in the world. Why can we not be number one in the world? Why is it always somebody else? We have what it takes, it only takes time but we must believe in ourselves.
ASM: That’s an amazing answer. Now to wrap this up I know you are a family man; tell us what does family mean to you?
Akwasi Frimpong: What does family mean to me? …
Family means first; … my family comes first in everything that I do. Obviously, it’s going to be very tough leaving them for eight weeks and be gone, especially since our daughter just turned seven months old recently. My wife works, and she has to take care of the baby, cook, and do everything. She is not just doing it for me to go to the games, she and my daughter wants me to be happy. Family is a very important thing to me. Like I told you earlier, my wife was the one who supported me to go back and chase my Olympic dream, just imagine that.
She’s always been my supporter and a great mentor, she is there in moments when I go through tough times as an athlete, moments when I have my doubts.
Having been an athlete herself, I am able to talk to my wife in tough and rough times and have her input.
So yeah, my family comes first, and family means everything to me and without them all of this is not possible at all, so I’m super grateful for my family.
ASM: Thank you so much for doing this interview. We will keep track of your career and promise to get your story out there to the world and most especially so Africa.
Akwasi Frimpong: You welcome and my inspiration for doing it is to impact all the young men and women coming up to know my story and be inspired by what I am doing.