Paris 2024: Meet the Ghanaian Sisters Leading Japan in Basketball at the Olympics

Paris 2024: Meet the Ghanaian Sisters Leading Japan in Basketball at the Olympics

  • Evelyn Mawuli and Stephanie Mawuli will be representing Japan at the Olympic Games in Paris
  • The Mawuli sisters were born in Japan to Ghanaian parents and are icons of basketball in the Asian nation
  • Japan will be hoping to bounce back after their defeat to the United States in Group C on Monday

Ghanaian sisters, Evelyn and Stephanie Mawuli were in action for the Japanese women's basketball team against the United States at the Olympic Games in Paris.

The sisters, who were born in Japan to Ghanaian parents have been the face of women's basketball in the Asian nation.

They became the first siblings from an African nation to represent Japan at the multi-sport event.

Mawuli sisters in action for Japan.
Ghanaian sisters, Evelyn and Stephanie Mawuli, representing Japan at the Olympic Games. Photo: Twitter/ @FIBA.
Source: UGC

Both started in the game against the United States but the Americans were too strong for Japan, who lost 107-76 in Group C, as spotted on social media.

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About the Mawuli sisters

Evelyn, the older of the two siblings, who is now 29, first represented Japan in basketball in 2009 at the U16 level. She helped Japan win silver at the U16 Championship. Two years later, she won gold with the Asian country before going on to make her senior debut with Japan.

Her younger sister, Stephanie, who is 25-years-old followed the path of her senior sibling by representing Japan at the U16 and U18 FIBA Championship, where she won silver in both competitions.

She became champion in the 3x3 U23 World Cup in Lanzhou in 2019 before earning her place in the senior team of Japan. The Mawuli sisters then became teammates at the Olympic Games in Tokyo before leading the team to Paris, their second in a row.

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"Yeah, I think she's changed [grown] a lot. I don't really want to say this because she's nearby, but I'm starting to feel like I can't beat her one-on-one as her older sister," said Evelyn as she spoke about her sister to FIFA at the Olympic Games, as quoted by Pulse.

African Countries With Medals

Earlier, Briefly News reported that South Africa currently leads from the lead with their three-medal haul so far in Paris. Tatjana Smith swam to victory in the women's 100m breaststroke to add to the 200m gold she won at Tokyo 2022.

The Blitzboks beat Australia 26-19 in the bronze medal match after earlier stunning New Zealand in the quarters.

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Viginia Akinyi avatar

Viginia Akinyi (sports editor) Viginia Akinyi is the current import editor at Briefly News. She holds a B.Sc. in Communication and Public Relations from Moi University and has previously worked with Lolwe TV, Daily Nation Eldoret Bureau and SportsBrief.com. Email: viginia.akinyi@briefly.co.za