General Biography
At the age of 15 I started with athletics. Sammy Monsels discovered me in July of 2002 during an athletics meeting at Augustinus College (high school). In November of 2002 I began training under him.

 My very first race was at the NK (Dutch) indoor championships. I came third in my heat but could therefore not advance to the semi-finals. Again at the NK outdoor championships I did not make the semi-finals, by just 0.01 seconds.

I then promised myself that I would become the Dutch champion the following year. I succeeded! Within a six-month period I became the Dutch champion thanks to Sammy Monsels and my rock-hard efforts. I won gold at the 200m and bronze at the 100m. After my victory at the 200m, the Dutch athletics association invited me for the Koninkrijksspelen (Kingdom Games) in Aruba in august 2003. I could not represent the Netherlands then because I was applying for a residence permit at the time. The KNAU (the Dutch National Athletics Union) were a supporter of the prospect of me receiving a Dutch passport because of my sports achievements and my involvement in the social development of the Dutch society, but the ex-minister of Aliens Affairs blocked the process. After almost a 13-year battle for a residence permit the current Minister of Justice eventually granted it in August of 2007. Now I can finally lead a normal life, go to training camps and participate in international athletics events. Since June 23, 2008 I have my Dutch nationality besides my Ghana nationality.

In 2007 I again started focusing on athletics in full force. In August of 2004 I got injured whilst competing in the Count Down Games (the Bijlmer Olympic Games) with times of 10.32 sec and 10.60 sec (hand clocked) in the semi-finals and finals respectively. After finishing the race I celebrated by doing a jump and thereby unluckily obtaining a fracture in my leg. After that stunt I received rehabilitation with the aid of physiotherapy by Gooioord and Manual Fysion. Because I still did not have a residence permit at the time and therefore was not medically insured, I could not rehabilitate effectively and as successfully as I would have liked.

Sinds August 2008, I have been combining track and field with Business Management studies at the Utah Valley University in the USA.  For me this is a dream that has come trough.

Nomination as Amsterdam citizen of the year 2007

I really feel honoured to be able to add my nomination as Amsterdam citizen of the year 2007 to my biography. This is a wonderful acknowledgement for my study results, achievements on the athletics track, and for my contribution and commitment to kids. It was not easy, as I had to fight a legal battle for my residence permit to be able to live in The Netherlands. Finally I succeeded after 13 years. See Het Parool (portrait of me and other nominees in the appendix of 29 December), NRC, AT5, Stadsdeel Zuidoost, Continental Sport, ROC, other news links and Wikipedia.My ambition: to compete (for Amsterdam) at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.