Barnabus Aggerh, a freshman sprinter on the William Carey track and field team, will represent his nation at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Aggerh recently won the NAIA 100-meter dash national championship, breaking the previous NAIA record of 10.08 seconds with a time of 10.01. His was one of six total NAIA national championships claimed by William Carey in men’s and women’s track and field.
The young star’s national meet performance qualified him to represent his native country of Ghana in the upcoming Summer Olympics. It will be the first Olympian to originate from the recently dominant William Carey track and field program. Head coach Ryan McKenzie told WDAM that the freshman has represented his school well.
“It’s really great to have somebody of that caliber, and knowing that this will be our first Olympian… that’s a great thing,” McKenzie said.
McKenzie went on to describe Aggerh’s leadership ability, even as a softspoken underclassman.
“He’s a very humble guy, came in with a very hard work ethic,” the coach said. “So, it’s always great to have somebody with that personality, but also has the talent to go along with it.”
For Aggerh, the honor means an opportunity to do something more while wearing his home country’s colors.
“Every athlete’s dream is to become an Olympian,” Aggerh said. “Some just want to go because it’s the Olympics and they want a title, but some also want to make an impact. So, it’s my dream that when I go, I make an impact and also be proud of myself.”
