Akwasi Frimpong: Ghana’s first skeleton Olympian wants to impact economy positively

The slowing global economy is impacting countries in different ways.

Ghana’s first skeleton Olympian, Akwasi Frimpong, wants to use his likeness to impact his country’s economy in a positive way.

Frimpong says he is not a big fan of traditional sponsorships where athletes just wear a logo on their chests.

Frimpong is more about partnerships where, he says, the relationship has a stronger foundation and both parties work to help each other grow.

Frimpong visited the company headquarters for Ghana Gas last week in the nation’s capital of Accra, as well as a gas plant in the Western region of Ghana.

Photo credit: Ghana National Gas Company 

His goal was to get a better understanding of how Ghana Gas operates and get to know the people who carry out the company’s mission “to contribute to Ghana’s Gas economic development… in a safe, cost-effective, responsible and reliable manner to customers.”

Photo credit: Ghana National Gas Company

Frimpong also used the opportunity to visit schools in the Ashanti Region in Kumasi, Ghana, where he taught more than 600 kids between ages 8 and 15 about the power of resilience and getting out of their comfort zones.

Photo credit: Arnold Aglo Arni

“I have proudly been wearing the Ghana National Gas Company logo on my skeleton suit since 2019. Their support has helped me break into the elite level of the sport, but I have always wanted to do more and with the current economic situation it’s a great opportunity to showcase Ghana Gas to the world and the difference they are making domestically and internationally.”

Photo credit: Arnold Aglo Arni

Frimpong is training and aiming for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games after the 2022 Games when Covid prevented him from completing three qualification races.