Olympian Akuffo gives sound advice to Barbadian wrestlers

January 12, 2023 Staff

Barbados has a huge advantage when it comes to beach wrestling, says Olympian Ohenawa Akuffo OLY who sees great potential for the country to develop the sport into something spectacular, both at the competitive and administrative level.

The phenomenal, multi-talented Canadian born wrestler is currently on island spending time and said she wants to see various aspects of Barbados wrestling grow and develop especially the aspect of beach wrestling.

“You have the beach that is part of your country, number one, number two, you have tons of people in your federation which is very important to have success. The third thing is your country reminds me of home and it is just a fact that you are a supportive country, you support each other. You don’t need a lot to be great, you just need the right ingredient.

“You guys have an advantage, we can’t have beach wrestling in Canada, there is snow, it is cold but you have an advantage with the beaches and people who are passionate. Those are the ingredients for excellence and for something to happen.” Akuffo said.

During an interview with Barbados TODAY, Akuffo explained that it took her being uncomfortable with wrestling to become comfortable which is the message she hopes will resonate with Barbadian wrestlers as they delve into an area of sports that they may not find as comfortable.

“Barbadians are great people, I look and I am like if you birth Rihanna out of this country and she is a powerful person, it takes one person doing something uncommon. So, at the end of the day wrestling is in you, the question is are you going to bring it out?”

“It is for the young people to try it, as I said about my story, if I didn’t try it I would have never been an Olympian in this sport. That forever changed my life and I get to give back to the sport. This is a small country but small things can do mighty things,” Akuffo explained.

A 2010 Commonwealth Games Gold medalist, two-time Pan American Silver medallist as well as a World Championship Silver and Bronze medallist, Akuffo has had an illustrious career in indoor wrestling that spanned close to two decades. What she enjoyed, was being able to travel the world and gaining a University education free of cost through her scholarship in wrestling.

Born to Ghanaian parents, Akuffo wants to see Barbadian wrestlers not only own their gift but to realise how far sports can take them. More importantly, she encouraged them to be accountable along the way while taking one step at a time.

“Own the fact that if you want to do this, do it. Your coaches, everybody helps you, it is yours. That is the first thing, the second thing is try it, just try, one step at a time. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, these are all quotes but they are so important because this is how I see success in my life, in all areas,” she said.

In sharing a bit about her journey towards being one of the greatest black female wrestlers the world has ever seen, Akuffo explained that it was challenging in her teenage years when she first started but never gave up on herself and therefore recognised that the hardest journey begins with a thousand miles.

“So, in high school, Grade 11, I was 17, I made the senior national team as a junior and I went to my first World Championships in Clermont France and that forever changed my life because I realised that I can utilise this opportunity to see the world, possibly pay for my education and do something uncommon.

“That is where my journey started but I had to try something that I was uncomfortable with. If you don’t know something doesn’t mean you don’t try it; you never know if you are going to be good at something until you actually do it,” Akuffo shared.

The proud holder of a Degree in Business Administration and Marketing, Akuffo, while on the island is expected to join the Barbados Wrestling Association coaches and athletes in a session to see where they are at and give some pointers to further develop their skills.

Going forward, Akuffo hopes to be of assistance whenever she visits the island because she believes in the sport but also wants those that are involved locally to do the same saying, “If somebody on the outside sees the value that you have, then you guys have to see the same value. I just hope they value what they have because if they don’t, they can’t go anywhere.”

Source: Barbados Today