Benjamin Boukpeti

Benjamin Thomas Kudjow Boukpeti (* August 4, 1981 in Lagny -sur -Marne ) is a grown up in France canoe slalom rider who starts internationally for Togo. He holds citizenship in both countries.

After graduating from high school, which he completed in his native city in 2000, Benjamin Boukpeti began studying biology at the University Paul Sabatier in Toulouse, where he graduated with the Licence 2005. In 2006 he enrolled at the commercial college for business administration.

By Canoeing he began at the age of ten years. After starting out in Lagny, where he gradually specialized in the slalom discipline, he represents since 2000 the traditional club Canoë -Kayak Toulousain.

Benjamin Boukpeti starts in kayak - One. Due to the huge competition in France, he decided in 2003, for the country of origin of his father, Togo to compete. Boukpeti occupied at the Olympic Games in Athens, 18th in the kayak one, so did not qualify for the final round. The World Championships he finished 2007 in Foz do Iguaçu than 22 His most successful year was 2008. Initially Boukpeti won the African Cup of Nations in Kenya. Then he reached for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing the final round as time Best of the semi-final and won at the end behind Alexander Grimm and Fabien Lefèvre surprisingly the bronze medal. The joy he broke immediately after crossing the finish line his paddle.

Boukpeti was the first winner of an Olympic medal for Togo at all. At the same time, he won the first African in Olympic medal in canoeing. Boukpeti was one of only three starters Togo in Beijing and wore during the opening ceremony of the flag of his country. His older brother Olivier, who also since his youth pursues the Canoeing, but will not start for France, could not qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games.

The 1.77 meter tall Boukpeti belonged again to the levy of the Togolese team for the 2012 Summer Olympics. When local Olympic competition since the 2006 by Jean Jerome Perrin trained athletes rank 10.