Benjamin Boukpeti
Benjamin Kudjow Thomas Boukpeti (born August 4, 1981 in Lagny-sur-Marne ) is a canoe slalom rider who grew up in France and competes internationally for Togo . He is a citizen of both countries.
After graduating from high school, which he passed in the city of his birth in 2000, Benjamin Boukpeti began studying biology at the Paul Sabatier University in Toulouse , from which he graduated in 2005 with a license . In 2006 he enrolled at the Higher Commercial School for the subject of business administration .
He started canoeing at the age of ten. After starting out in Lagny, where he gradually specialized in the slalom discipline, he has represented the traditional Canoë-Kayak Toulouseain club since 2000 .
Benjamin Boukpeti starts in a single kayak . Because of the great competition in France, he decided in 2003 to compete for his father's country of origin, Togo. Boukpeti took 18th place in the kayak single at the Olympic Games in Athens , thus not qualifying for the final round. He finished the world championships in Foz do Iguaçu in 2007 as 22nd. His most successful year was 2008. First, Boukpeti won the African Championship in Kenya . He then reached the finals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as the best time in the semi-finals and surprisingly won the bronze medal behind Alexander Grimm and Fabien Lefèvre . Out of joy, he broke his paddle immediately after crossing the finish line.
Boukpeti was the first ever Olympic medal winner for Togo. At the same time he became the first African to win a medal in canoeing at the Olympics. Boukpeti was one of only three starters from Togo in Beijing and carried his country's flag during the opening ceremony. His older brother Olivier , who has also been canoeing since his youth, but starts for France, could not qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games.
The 1.77 meter tall Boukpeti was once again part of the Togolese team for the 2012 Summer Olympics . At the Olympic competition there, the athlete , who has been trained by Jean Jerome Perrin since 2006, came in 10th.
Web links
- Portrait on the website of the IOC ( Memento from March 16, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- Homepage Benjamin Boukpeti
- Profile on www.london2012.com , accessed August 13, 2012
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Boukpeti, Benjamin |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Boukpeti, Benjamin Kudjow Thomas |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | French-Togolese canoeist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 4th August 1981 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Lagny-sur-Marne |