Latecomer to Athletics, Amo-Dadzie Proves Accountants Can Be Fast Too

Eugene Amo-Dadzie, dubbed the world’s fastest accountant, has made history by booking his spot in the semi-finals of the 100m at the World Athletics Championships. The accountant-turned-sprinter, who has had to take annual leave from his job to pursue his athletic dreams, finished second in his heat, securing his place in the next round alongside fellow Brit Zharnel Hughes, who won his heat, and Reece Prescod, who also advanced.

Amo-Dadzie’s performance has not only caught the attention of athletics fans but also his fellow accountants, who have flooded him with messages of support, although no job offers have come through yet. He commented: “I’ve had a lot of support from all the different accountant bodies. They’re like ‘yo, you’re putting accountants on the map.’ We’re not just these boring stiff squares sat at the office typing away. We’ve got a bit of something about us, you know.”

The Rainham-born sprinter has had an impressive season, clocking a sub-10-second 100m time, and looked effortless as he eased through his heat with a time of 10.10s. Despite his success, Amo-Dadzie remains humble, reflecting on how far he has come: “Me being here is already a victory for me, so anything that happens is kind of a bonus.”

Amo-Dadzie’s rise from accountant to world-class sprinter has surprised many, and he embraces the “world’s fastest accountant” label with pride. He added: “It was a nice touch for the world’s fastest accountant. You didn’t have to do that. But I’m on the world stage. I say to people who don’t really know track and field, I’m at the World Cup of athletics and they’re like ‘ok’. For me, that’s incredible because this is beyond a dream. I didn’t grow up dreaming to do this, but by the grace of God, I found myself doing this.”