Skater Boipelo Awuah’s story is one of resilience, hard work and determination. At only 15 years old she went to represent South Africa at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in her maiden appearance at the quadrennial event.
Sadly, on the second day of practice she fractured her pelvis which meant she couldn’t compete, sending South Africa’s youngest Olympian home. However, that eventuality didn’t dash Awuah’s hopes, Paris 2024 became her next big goal.
Resilience, determination with a dash of grit over the past three years has earned the young star from Kimberley a ticket to France with Team South Africa.
“My main focus for the past three years has just been taking part in the Olympic qualifier competitions in order to qualify for Paris. I was able to secure first place at the 2023 South African Nationals, which were held this year in Johannesburg at the Flow Skatepark.
Through her unwavering dedication she bounced back from injury and reach her big goal, Awuah was overcome by emotion.
“I felt not only relieved, but also very blessed. I have been in this place of gratitude since finding out that my participation at the 2024 Olympics has been confirmed. I feel as if the Lord has given me another opportunity to inspire and to fulfil my purpose in the South African skate scene.
“My biggest motivation was and still is the thought of how far I have come. Surely the injury in 2021 is not how my story would end? I was determined to learn from it, to come back and elevate myself as an athlete.”
Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Skating Qualifier, Boipelo Awuah
In 2021, the Diamond of Kimberley won a Ministerial Recognition of Excellence award, giving her added hope after her dreams were put on a temporary halt in Tokyo. She gave a glowing account of attending the Momentum gsport Awards.
“It gives us a platform to inspire more women to be involved in sports. It gives us a platform that we would not usually have access to as women in sport. The gsport platform has been doing a lot. It would be great to see more events where all ladies involved in different sports come together and interact and explore each other’s sports.”
So with her place secured, another opportunity to place the African skate scene on the map, Boipelo has put her nose to the grindstone ahead of the biggest event in the global sport calendar.
“It has been three years of skating all over the world, attending training camps overseas to improve my skating. I’m constantly talking with my coach Melissa Williams, who is based in another province. I have been skating a lot, working on consistency of my tricks and progressing them.”
The top-ranked female skater in Africa was just fifteen when she went to Tokyo, four years later she has grown not just in age, but she’s wiser, and definitely one to watch in Paris.
“I have learned that I can always work harder than what I think I can and that there is a bigger picture to my love this sport. It’s a lot more than myself. I have also learned that I genuinely love skateboarding and would do it all again, even without the glitz and the glam.”
In the past few years she’s also taken her game a notch higher, physically and mentally, as she prepares to face tough competition at the Games.
“There is a lot more to it than just skateboarding. There is the mental side to work on and the consistent work ethic. There is the strategic side of the sport as well: planning for a competition months before and mentally preparing myself for big competitions.”
With her accolades, ground-breaking performances and an epic bounce back from injury, what does “owning your success” mean for someone already so accomplished at nineteen years of age?
“Owning your success to me means to be authentically myself, bringing my uniqueness to the sport and not trying to hide it but by embracing it.”
The Paris games are just around the corner and Awuah is raring to go. “My goal for Paris is to make it through my competition considering what happened in 2021 and to land all of my tricks without falling.”
We wish the Diamond of Kimberley, Mzansi and certainly the continent all the best in Paris.
Photo Caption: ‘I have also learned that I genuinely love skateboarding and would do it all again, even without the glitz and the glam’ – Double Olympic Skateboarding Qualifier Boipelo Awuah is in a place of gratitude as she contemplates the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games. All Photos: Supplied
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