Eighteen-year-old unicyclist Roger Trey Haun Mambora has become the talk of the town after his historic feat of winning a gold medal for Ghana at the World Unicycling Championships.
Born in the United States, Haun later moved to Ghana with his parents and has since made unicycling his daily pursuit. The young athlete always had a passion for unicycling—a sport involving cycling on a single wheel—and his balance and perseverance have led him to achieve a remarkable feat by conquering the world at just 18 years old. However, reaching this milestone was far from easy.
At 16, Haun began securing medals and competing for Ghana in international competitions. In 2022, he won a bronze and a silver medal, becoming the first Ghanaian to reach the podium on the global stage in unicycling history.
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He developed his Unicycling skills in the US and then brought more cycles to Ghana to teach his hometown folks of Nalerigu in the Northern Region of Ghana. Haun’s pursuit of glory in this sport was inspired by seeing the enormous skills displayed by athletes, presenting not just a race to fans all over the world – but entertainment to a large extent.
To the teenage US-born Ghanaian sensation in Unicycling, perseverance has been his greatest asset.
“The biggest thing I’ve learnt about Unicycling is to persevere. There are many times when I’m learning a trick, I will fall down, but I keep on trying and I get back. Because if I give up when I fall, I will never learn anything. So Unicycling has really taught me perseverance”, he told 3Sports.
After clinching the silver and bronze medals in 2022, Haun was honored by Ghana’s president Nana Akufo-Addo in Accra by being handed the “Young Achievers & Innovators” award. His career was followed closely then by more of his fellow countrymen.
This year however, at the World Unicycling Championships, Haun managed to secure the gold medal in the Stillstand events and a Bronze medal as well in the 30m Wheelwalk competition.
To Ghanaians and the folk of Nareligu, Haun is not just their champion; he is an icon for the growth of the skill-driven bike sport in Ghana and its fast development in the Northern Region of the West African nation.
At 18 years old, the teenager has a lot to offer Africa and Ghana. Young individuals in Nareligu have started training and earnestly preparing for a potential career in Unicycling, a sport heavily uncommon in Ghanaian society until Trey Haun arrived.
Many young American athletes of African descent also look likely to thread his path to glory, as the springing up of Unicycling in Africa progresses.
