Ghanaian "Snow Leopard" more than an "Eagle" (News Feature)

By David Hein Feb 21, 2010, 2:36 GMT

Whistler, Canada - Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong understands all the fuss about his being at the 2010 Olympics. The alpine skier from Ghana, however, does not like to be seen as a Winter Games oddity like 'Eddie the Eagle'.

'The fuss comes from the fact that I come from an African nation and because I have skied for such a short time,' said the 35-year-old Nkrumah-Acheampong said.

'Not because I am one of the fastest skiers you will ever see.'

Nkrumah-Acheampong does not understand, however, why no one expects him to perform solidly.

'Why shouldn't we Africans show that we can do more than just run fast or play good football? For me, sport is a serious thing.'

Nkrumah-Acheampong, who is the only participant from Ghana at the Vancouver Games, will finally get his chance to perform at the Olympics next Saturday when he races on the slalom course in Whistler Creekside.

'The biggest feelings of being at the Olympics will come when I'm standing at the top of the slope. You can see all the way down to the bottom. For me, the feeling of racing will be bigger than being at the Olympics,' said Nkrumah-Acheampong.

While Nkrumah-Acheampong will compete against Olympians from other exotic places such as India, Pakistan and Mexico, he is not on the same level as 'Eddie the Eagle' Michael Edwards, who did not have to qualify for the 1988 Calgary Games.

Nkrumah-Acheampong's worldwide tour in search of points to lower his ranking below 140 took him to places like Iceland, Argentina and Iran besides the big European nations of Italy, Germany and France.

Recalling one of his early events, he said: 'I was number 111, last to go in a blizzard, bitter cold and on a desperately icy piste. The starter asked me 'You OK?' and I said 'No, I don't want to go. But I must'. I finished last (by nearly half a minute) but I fought. And I survived.'

Kwame's journey to Whistler is all the more extraordinary given that he only started skiing just over five years ago.

The father of two was born in the Scottish city of Glasgow while his father was studying for a postgraduate degree. But Kwame grew up near the Ghana capital of Accra without ever seeing a snowflake.

After moving back to Britain as a student in 2002, he was introduced to snow after becoming a receptionist at a Milton Keynes ski centre with free access to an indoor real-snow slope.

Nkrumah-Acheampong finished 13th in his first race and spent his debut professional season in 2004 at Meribel in the French Alps, where he watched other racers and copied them.

Since then he competed at the 2007 and 2009 world championships, placing 66th at the 2007 giant slalom and then 87th in the 2009 giant slalom and 67th in the 2009 slalom.

Nkrumah-Acheampong's best placing was two 16th in FIS races in Iran in February 2005 and February 2009. All told, he has seven top-30 finishes in FIS races.

Nkrumah-Acheampong comes to Whistler with the nickname 'Snow Leopard' because of his wildcat-style racing suit. But he admits the moniker is just one for the outside world.

'I have a nickname with my friends. But this is my nickname between me and the whole world,' said the shy family man.

Some time after the Olympics are long over, Nkrumah-Acheampong plans on returning to Ghana to set up a snow slope for the youth in the African nation

'People from Ghana can ski. I'm living proof that we can ski. After this I think we will have more of us coming to skiing,' he said.

'With the right training, a young Ghanaian could reach the top,'

When asked if he thinks he's a hero, Nkrumah-Acheampong said: 'Heroes have capes and fly and those kinds of things.

'I just think that I am doing something that many people thought about doing but never took the decision to do maybe because it's a bit too difficult. That's just who I am.'