Oku’s journey connects television inspiration and Tokyo competition

Watching the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games inspired Emmanuel Oku to explore Para powerlifting in Accra. Within a year of starting, he represented Ghana internationally, and he later reached Tokyo 2020, where he finished seventh in the men’s up to 72kg competition. The IPC’s July 2022 profile described the pride he took in carrying Ghana’s flag and encouraging other athletes to enter the sport. Oku was seeking to improve further towards Paris, while training at the Accra Sports Stadium and preparing for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.