Ghana’s 4x100m relay team faced a disappointing exit from the 2024 Olympics in Paris, with sprinter Joe Paul Amoah pointing to the overwhelming noise inside the stadium as a key factor in their poor performance. The team, comprising Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, Ibrahim Fuseini, Benjamin Azamati, and Amoah, was disqualified during the race, marking a bitter end to Ghana’s Olympic campaign.
Amoah, who ran the anchor leg, revealed that the intense atmosphere inside the stadium hampered their communication during the baton changeover, a critical element in relay races. “The stadium was loud, obviously because of France. Instead of using it as an advantage, I think it broke us in a way. We struggled to hear the calls, but we did our best in the circumstances,” Amoah said, as quoted by Joy Sports.
The Ghanaian team was competing in Heat 2 against strong contenders such as Jamaica, Canada, Germany, and host nation France. However, a botched baton exchange saw them finish sixth in the race. Although their position was not enough to secure a place in the final, a post-race review confirmed their disqualification due to an illegal baton change in the final leg.
This disqualification brought an end to Ghana’s Olympic journey, which saw the country leave Paris without a single medal. The 4x100m relay had been one of Ghana’s last hopes for a podium finish, but the chaotic baton exchange dashed those aspirations.
The disappointment in the relay mirrored other setbacks for Team Ghana throughout the Olympics. Earlier, swimmer Harry Stacey was eliminated after finishing seventh in the Men’s 100m Freestyle, and Joselle Alice Mensah narrowly missed out on a semi-final spot in the Women’s 50m Freestyle, despite an impressive performance. High jumper Rose Amoanimaa Yeboah also exited the competition after failing to clear the 1.92m mark.
As the dust settles on Ghana’s Olympic campaign, the team will undoubtedly reflect on the lessons learned in Paris, particularly the impact of external factors like crowd noise on performance. For now, the focus will shift to future competitions, with the hope of turning these experiences into future successes.