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Ghana’s long jump queen Deborah Acquah says she feels let down by the country after getting little support despite competing with an injury for over a year.

World Athletics Championships: Long jumper Deborah Acquah says Ghana let her down | Pulse Ghana

Emmanuel Ayamga

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Acquah, who is Ghana’s national record holder in long jump, represented the country at the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

However, the 27-year-old could not make the final, having leapt 6.50m, which fell just short of the 6.80m needed to advance.

The long jumper’s underperformance comes after she won a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In an exclusive interview with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JoySports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JoySports</a>’ <a href="https://twitter.com/Fentuo_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Fentuo_</a> at the ongoing <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldAthleticsChamps?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldAthleticsChamps</a> in Budapest, Deborah Acquah attributed her inability to qualify for the finals of the women’s long jump to an injury she has carried for more than one year.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JoySports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JoySports</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Budapest23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Budapest23</a> <a href="https://t.co/mvUb2dHl8n">pic.twitter.com/mvUb2dHl8n</a>&mdash; #JoySports (@JoySportsGH) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoySportsGH/status/1693581623541870902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Reacting to this, Acquah said the neglect and lack of support from Ghanaian officials contributed to her inability to reach the final in Budapest.

“I honestly didn’t want to come to Budapest because for the past one year, I have been battling an injury. But my coach asked me to come and just get the season over it. So my performance was actually very good, if you understand the circumstances,” she told Joy Sports.

“After the last worlds, I didn’t want to go to Birmingham, but then, the Ghana officials, and I don’t want to mention names because they know themselves, promised to take care of me if I went to Birmingham to compete, so I went.

“Initially, they said they would get a doctor to take care of me in Ghana once we returned. But when we got back, I didn’t hear anything from them.”

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Deborah Acquah is OUT!! She leaps 6.25m in her 3rd and final attempt in the women&#39;s long jump, not enough to salvage qualification to the final. Attempt 1 =6.39m Attempt 2=6.50m Attempt 3= 6.25m She needed to make 6.80m to qualify, or finish among the top 12 overall. Her… <a href="https://t.co/oVjK7waNEg">pic.twitter.com/oVjK7waNEg</a>&mdash; Fentuo Tahiru Fentuo (@Fentuo_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Fentuo_/status/1692883025225261421?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Acquah further explained: “They then said I should go back to the US and they would find money for me to see a specialist here. That money didn’t come either.

“So the past one year has been a real challenge. I had to take care of myself through that injury, and because I’m done with school now, I also had to pick up a job to support myself. Because of all that, I have not been able to train and I have only competed once, since Birmingham.”

She, therefore, appealed for support, saying: “I need help, from Ghana or from individuals or corporate institutions. When we compete, we compete in the name of Ghana. I remember in 2021, when Azamati and I were world leaders in our events, the Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, posted about it. It shows the pride we bring to the country when we do well.”

Meanwhile, Team Ghana will once again be in action on Wednesday, August 23, for the men’s 200m.

Long jumper Deborah Acquah says Ghana let her down at World Athletics Championships

World Athletics Championships: Long jumper Deborah Acquah says Ghana let her down

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