The 2018 edition of athletics event dubbed ‘Ghana’s Fastest Human’ has been launched with a call on upcoming athletes to emulate the exploits of former sportsmen who used their talents to promote patriotism and unity in the country.

The event which was held at the headquarters of the Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC) was graced by Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, Paramount Chief of Agomeda, Nene Naga Kasa VII and some personalities from the sports fraternity.

Founding president of Ghana’s Fastest Human and former national athlete Reks Brobby said his vision for the initiative is yielding positive results as all the winners from previous competitions have become national stars with seven of them part of Ghana’s team for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

“We said that from 2013 to 2020 we were going to focus on 100 metres because it takes a lot of work to do the 100 metres and we have done that. The success of our event so far is that the guy who won the 2013 Fastest Human, Emmanuel Dassor is in Australia right now, running for Ghana. The lady who won the 2014 event is also part of the Ghana team in Australia for the Commonwealth Games. The under-18 boy who won the fastest human in Ghana in 2016, we moved him to the seniors in 2017 and he beat everyone in 200 metres, this year he is the fastest boy in Ghana and he is in Australia to represent Ghana in the 100 metres. The 2016 winner who is schooling in America now will also be running for Ghana in the Commonwealth Games. So all our winners will be running for Ghana in Australia so please watch out for them”, Reks Brobby happily said.

The Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante was full of praise for Reks Brobby and also called on the athletes to use their talents to promote the country.

“I’m delighted to be called upon by the organizers of the Ghana Fastest Human program to launch the 2018 edition of the program. I recall the passion and enthusiasm with which the organizers explained the rationale behind it and the objectives they intend to achieve with the program and the effort to sustain it and thereby groom the next generation of Ghanaian athletes. It was therefore an easy decision for me to accept the invitation to speak at the launch of the 2018 edition”.

He added that “Athletics has contributed to the goodwill Ghana enjoys on the global stage and many of you here today have played a role in making that contribution. The sporting greats in Africa and the Commonwealth in the 1960s and 1970s that won medals for Ghana in the competitions they competed in brought not only joy to their families, fans and Ghanaians but also created a sense of patriotism for Ghanaians both home and abroad”, he concluded.

Since its inception in 2013, Ghana Fastest Human has played instrumental roles in unearthing talents for the country with all of its past winners representing the country in the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The 2018 edition will kick off in Tamale on April 28.