Master Hayford Addai is an amputee athlete of the Konongo Odumase Senior High
Master Hayford Addai, an amputee athlete of the Konongo Odumase Senior High School in the Ashanti Region, stole the spotlight at the Ashanti Regional Super Zonal Athletics School Competition.
He sprinted to the last berth to win the 4 X 200 meters relay competition to qualify his team to the finals.
The competition was organised by the Schools and Colleges Sports Federation at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium and attracted 30 senior high schools in the region.
Among the competing schools were the Armed Forces Senior High Technical School, Barekese SHS, Kongo Odumase, T.I AMASS Senior High School (SHS), Kumasi Wesley Girls SHS, Opoku Ware SHS, Prempeh College, St. Louis SHS, Yaa Asantewaa SHS and others.
They competed in track and field events such as running, hurdles, javelin, shot putts, high jump, long jump, triple jump, and others.
Master Addai, whose left hand was amputated and is a Visual Arts form one student of the Konongo Odumase SHS, expressed his satisfaction in contributing to the team’s success.
“I feel better after contributing to the win to qualify us for the finals.
I have been running since basic school, and I am happy to make an impact today,” he said.
Master Addai encouraged others in similar situations not to give up on their dream but to work hard to achieve it.
Mr. Ishmael Owen Opoku, Sports Coach of the Konongo Odumase SHS, said disability should not be a yardstick for discrimination.
Rather, he said people with disabilities must be included in activities such as these since they might have hidden talents to be unearthed.
According to him, this was the first time Master Addai was exposed to higher competition, and he made the school proud.
“He is a very good sportsman, skilled also in football, handball, and volleyball, and I hope to coach him to achieve greater goals,” he said.
