LEBANON, Tenn.--Cumberland University freshman Mustapha Bokpin added another major accomplishment to his already decorated debut season, representing his home country of Ghana at the 2025 World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China. Bokpin ran the third leg of the men's 4x100-meter relay, helping Ghana qualify for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
Running alongside Barnabas Aggerh (William Carey), Joseph Paul Amoah, and Ibrahim Fuseini, the Ghanaian squad placed second in their qualifying heat with a time of 38.32 seconds, just one-hundredth of a second behind heat winner France (38.31). The top two teams from each heat earned automatic qualification for the World Championships, with Ghana's performance highlighting the nation's rising stature in global sprinting.
Bokpin's leg was crucial in maintaining Ghana's position against a fiercely competitive field, setting the stage for a dramatic anchor by Fuseini, who narrowly missed overtaking France at the line.
Back in the United States, Bokpin has dominated the NAIA stage as a freshman, earning Mid-South Conference Indoor and Outdoor Freshman of the Year honors. He has been named Mid-South Conference Track Athlete of the Week five times and has also received NAIA National Track Athlete of the Week honors three times this season. Bokpin has won five individual conference titles this season.
During the indoor season, Bokpin earned NAIA All-American status after finishing as the national runner-up in the 60-meter dash, coming in just behind his 4x100m relay teammate Aggerh.
"I'm proud of him, he's worked really hard for this," said Head Track & Field coach
Atsu Nyamadi. " He's not only putting CU on the map, but also inspiring his teammates who fully support him. I also want to recognize my coaching staff, Coach Cecilia Amou-Berry and Coach William Akuka. We're doing this together."
With the outdoor postseason continuing and a trip to Tokyo on the horizon, Mustapha Bokpin's journey is far from over, but his freshman season is already one for the record books.
