Princess Ayin is a 26-year-old athlete, student and role model to all in Accra, Ghana. She describes herself as tough, passionate and ambitious.
She discovered her passion for sports at the age of 19. She has competed in most local, regional and national games in athletics, football and netball.
Internationally, she’s competed in the 200m, 100m and 4x100m at the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles, USA. She won more medals at 2020 first Pan African Games in Egypt. She has appeared on a number of live sports shows on national television to create awareness and solicit support for persons with intellectual disabilities.
For Princess, Special Olympics has given her the platform to compete at all levels. It has given her the opportunity to meet and interact with a wide range of cultures and to make new friends.
Sharing how Special Olympics has impacted her life, she says, “I feel proud. My confidence level has increased and I feel more welcome among my peers with and without intellectual disability and family members.”
Princess is currently the leader of the choreography group and a member of the modeling club at the Dzworlulu Special School. The exposure she acquired though sports and Special Olympics training has improved her confidence and made a positive impact on her behavior, lifestyle, and interactions with others.
Most students of the school see her as a role model and mentor, hence earning her ‘celebrity’ status on campus.
Currently, Princess is using the confidence and discipline she’s acquired through sports to build a career in crafts: weaving doormats, sewing, and bead-making!