Boston University graduate Gemma Acheampong ('15) is set to compete for Ghana's 4x100m relay team at the 2016 Summer Olympics starting August 5 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
 
Acheampong will be part of Ghana's 16-member team in Rio, with 11 of the country's Olympic qualifiers competing in track & field. The Ghana 4x100m relay team posted the 15th best time in the IIAF this July at the Soga-Nana Memorial Meet at Cape Coast, Ghana to qualify for the Rio Olympics.
 
Although born and raised in Waterbury, Conn., Acheampong is able to compete for Ghana because both of her parents immigrated from the country to the United States in the 1980s.
 
"I'm really excited about the opportunity I've been given," said Acheampong. "If someone told me four years ago when I was a walk-on freshman at BU that I'd someday be running in the Olympics I wouldn't have believed them. Deciding to approach coach (Robyne) Johnson about running track at BU really was a turning point in my life."
 
BU's Director of Track & Field Robyne Johnson will also attend the Olympics after being named assistant coach of the U.S. Track & Field team last summer. 
 

Yay!! It's finally official! I'll be going to Rio for the 4x100!! pic.twitter.com/8lImSjI5wm

— Gemma Acheampong (@fearthefall) July 13, 2016

These Olympics will be the fourth time that Acheampong has represented Ghana on the track. She won both silver and bronze as part of Ghana's 4x100m relay team at the African Championships, taking second in 2015 and third in 2014. In addition, she represented Ghana at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
 
Acheampong joined the Boston University coaching staff as a volunteer assistant for the 2015-16 season after graduating in May 2015 as one of the most accomplished sprinters in program history.
 
A two-time qualifier for the NCAA East prelims, Acheampong was terrific in her final season as a Terrier. She was the Female Track Athlete of the Meet at both the Patriot League Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships after helping lead the Terriers to second place at both events. Acheampong won the 100m and 200m dashes at both events, with her 100m time of 11.49 seconds at the outdoor meet setting a new school and Patriot League record. Acheampong also set the 60m dash school record with a time of 7.49 seconds.
 
The Patriot League named Acheampong to the conference's 25th Anniversary Team in August 2015. She was a five-time individual event winner in her two seasons in the league with a pair of titles in the 100m dash, an indoor and outdoor crown in the 200m dash and a 60m dash victory. Acheampong holds meet-record times in the 60m dash, 100m dash and outdoor 200m dash.