Ghanaian athletes Benjamin Azamati and Abdul Rasheed Saminu are set to compete against some of the world’s best athletes in the semifinals of the men’s 100 meters at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

The men’s 100m semifinals, which will take place on Sunday, August 4, 2024, will see Azamati compete in Semifinal 1, while Saminu contests in Semifinal 3.

Azamati qualified to the semis after he finished 2nd in Heat 1 with a time of 10.08 while Saminu came 3rd third in Heat 5 with a time of 10.06 to secure a ticket to the semis.

Azamati, who is making his second attempt in the men’s 100m at the Olympics, will have to slug it out with Noah Lyles, the third-fastest American of all time and also a bronze medalist at the Olympics.

Also competing against Azamati is Britain’s current fastest sprinter, Louie Hinchliffe, who beat Noah Lyles to win their heats.

Jamaica’s Oblique Seville is also part of the set and poses a great threat after earning 4th place in the men’s 100 meters at the 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships.

Ghana’s second representative in the men’s 100m semis, Rasheed Saminu, also faces stiff competition from Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, who has the fastest time in this year’s 100m sprints - 9.50s.

The Jamaican has been tipped to win gold at this year’s Olympic Games.

Six-time Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse is one of the athletes who might send shivers down the spine of Saminu.

The Canadian holds two bronze medals in the men’s 100m and will be a tough hurdle to surmount.

Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala is another competitor to beat for Saminu.

The African sprint king comes into the contest with a gold medal from the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Despite the flamboyant records of these world athletes, Benjamin Azamati and Abdul Rasheed Saminu still have the chance to write their names in gold if they are able to make it through to the finals.

JNA/AE