Former Jamaican sprinter, Asafa Powell and his Ghanaian wife Alyshia have been met with rapturous welcome at the Kotoka International Airport by various groups.
Arriving in the country on a 10-day stay from Feb. 27 to March 9, 2023 on the invite of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), Powell is scheduled to meet notable personalities and be involved in several charity and social engagements.
The former 100 metres world champion met GOC President, Ben Nunoo Mensah, Ghana’s Youth & Sports Minister, Hon Mustapha Ussif as well as former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan.
On the heels of the Year of Return initiative and strengthening the Ghana-Jamaica relations, the sports ministry hopes the arrival of such high value personalities will bolster the country’s sporting and tourism gains. Usain Bolt is expected to make an entry next year, all other things being equal.
The Olympian from Linstead, Jamaica was warmly met on arrival by sporting and other groups including the Ghana National Supporters Union, the Supporters Union of Ghana, Diaspora community and media.
The retired Jamaican sprinter who set the 100 metres world record twice, between June 2005 and May 2008 with times of 9.77 and 9.74 seconds explained it’s been a “bitter-sweet experience” since hanging his spikes as he misses “sprinting but now has time to spend with wife, kids and everybody.”
The 40-year-old is married to Ghanaian born wife Alyshia who calls a Canadian father and Ghanaian mother from the central region mother. Married since 2019, Powell stated he’s always wanted to know where she is from, where she grew and experience the culture.
The retired Jamaican sprinter hopes to be back a lot more.
