African Insights

‘Spot’ Ghana’s snow leopard in Vancouver 2010

By: Tracy Hammond

Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong, 34, may have grown up in a country where 20 degrees Celsius is considered cold weather, but this has in no way affected his dream of representing Ghana at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Born in Glasgow where his father was completing his doctorate, Kwame didn’t stay there (or anywhere else with snow) but instead grew up on the hot open plains of Ghana. His story is most reminiscent of the triumphs of the Jamaican bobsleigh team, which inspired the 1993 film Cool Runnings. There is one difference between the Jamaicans and Kwame though: Kwame has actually seen snow before, albeit only 4 years ago for the first time!

Four years ago Kwame left his job as a Safari Guide in Accra, Ghana, to further his studies in the UK. To support himself during this time he worked as a receptionist in the Xscape Snow Dome in Milton Keynes which gave him free access to the artificial slopes. Here he taught himself to ski and very quickly it became clear that he had a knack for the sport - with this developed the nickname that sticks still today- ‘Snow Leopard’. From there he joined the race circuit, acquired himself a coach (Dave Jacobs) and a year after his first contact with snow was set to represent Ghana at the Turin Olympics in 2006. However, it was not to be and en route to the qualifying event, his plane was grounded in Amsterdam due to ice on the wings, and he missed the qualifying events.

This did not halt Kwame’s ambition or his dreams and he persevered for another 4 years. Last week his doggedness paid off when it was officially confirmed that Africa’s ‘Snow Leopard’ will be competing at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver as Ghana’s and Africa’s first ever black African entrant on the International circuit. He is determined to not just compete but wants to make his country proud, “I don’t want to just get down, but ski well and not come at the bottom of the table” he said. Perhaps proof then that a leopard can change his spots if he truly puts his mind to it!