Even though Asafa Powell has only visited Ghana twice in the past eight weeks, the former Jamaican sprinter has already figured out the country's track and field woes.
Powell was "very, very dissatisfied' when he first visited Ghana and made no effort to disguise his disappointment about the lack of running tracks there.
After a few days, he left the nation, but not before vowing to come back for a longer visit in December 2023.
But only a few days later, the Jamaican was back in the nation for Sports Equity Lab's four-day Max Velocity Speed Summit, which aimed to boost young athletes' performance.
Naturally, a track and field event was supposed to be held; nevertheless, it ended up being held on the University of Ghana's basketball court.
Powell told me, "That speaks a lot for itself. We are, as you mentioned, on a basketball court, so it's sad that there are no amenities. My track club in Jamaica practices on grass. We don't have the greatest facilities, but if we so desire, we can use facilities in Jamaica. Instead, we opt to use what we have at the club.
"As you can see, Jamaica has a lot of facilities and is ready to create athletes. Therefore, it is rather disheartening, and Ghana may take many positive steps.
Asafa Powell voiced dismay in the "Gateway to Africa" three times in less than two months, and in a nation where the adage "first impressions sell like hotcakes," that's quite a first impression.
But in all honesty, the former world record holder remembers his 'first' encounter with the nation better. One name leaps out for the man who ran the most sub-10s in the 100m while thinking back to his ferocious running days.
And no, it isn't Tyson Gay, a longstanding foe [though it's a fairly decent bet], but rather Aziz Zakari, a former sprinter from Ghana who Powell said was one of the competitors he didn't want to face at any track meet.
When I went to track events and heard Aziz Zakari was there, I remember thinking, "Man! This man is coming to pressure me.'" He was one of those athletes with whom I recall racing. He was among the outstanding sprinters.
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