For many athletes, the journey to greatness begins with a spark of inspiration. For Ghana’s Marie Agbah-Hughes, it was the thrill of the Olympic Games that ignited her passion for sports, setting her on a path to pursue her dreams and lift her way to success.
Speaking in an interview on GhanaWeb TV’s Sports Check, Agbah-Hughes shared how she initially aspired to be a runner but soon realized it wasn’t the right fit for her.
“It’s really hard to be a runner, but I kept trying. Two days later, I’d get sick. I just wanted to do what the boys were doing, but I knew it wasn’t for me,” she recalled.
However, growing up, she found herself captivated by gymnastics whenever the Olympics were on.
“Every time the Summer Olympics were on, I’d be in front of the TV, watching everything,” she said.
Though life took her down a different path, her love for gymnastics never faded. Moving to the U.S. reignited her enthusiasm as she saw firsthand how deeply embedded gymnastics was in American sports culture.
This experience left her wishing Ghana had similar opportunities for young athletes.
“I used to love gymnastics, and I still do. I wish Ghana had gymnastics gyms because when I got to the U.S., I had friends who were taking their kids to gymnastics after school. In high school, I knew people who trained regularly, and it was very likely that any of them could reach the Olympic level because it was such a big part of the culture,” she added.
Watch the full interview below:
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