Stephen Baffour
{{Short description|Italian sprinter (born 2003)}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Stephen Baffour
| fullname = Stephen Awuah Baffour
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|11|9|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| residence =
| nationality = Italian
| spouse =
| sport = Athletics
| event = Sprint
| club = Battaglio Cus Torino
| worlds =
| nationals =
| headercolor =
| pb = 60m: 6.65 (Apeldoorn, 2025)
100m: 10.17 (London, 2024)
200m: 20.71 (Rieti, 2024)
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates =
}}
Stephen Awuah Baffour (born 9 November 2003) is an Italian sprinter. He competed at the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships.{{cite web|title= Stephen Awuah Baffour|website=World Athletics|accessdate=26 Feb 2025|url=
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/great-britain-ni/stephen-baffour-14851227}}
Early and personal life
He was born in Pomezia, Rome to Ghanaian parents. He later lived and trained in Coventry, England and studied at De Montfort University. He is also a member of Battaglio Cus Torino.{{cite web|url=https://athleticsweekly.com/event-reports/university-students-triumph-at-bucs-championships-1039985693/|title= University students triumph at BUCS Championships|accessdate=26 Feb 2025|website=Athletics Weekly|date=9 May 2024}} He had the option of taking a British passport but chose to run for Italy with the support of the Italian federation.
Career
He finished second in the 200 metres race at the 2023 British Indoor Athletics Championships, running 21.26 seconds.{{cite web|url= https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7193511?eventId=10229552&gender=M|website=World Athletics|accessdate=26 Feb 2025|title= UK Indoor Championships |date= 18 Feb 2023}}
=2024=
He won the 100 metres at the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Championships in May 2024, running 10.44 seconds.{{cite web|url= https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7210831?eventId=10229630|website=World Athletics|accessdate=26 Feb 2025|title= BUCS Outdoor Athletics Championships|date=4 May 2024}} He ran a personal best 10.29 seconds for the 100 metres at the Italian Athletics Championships in La Spezia in June 2024. In July , he lowered it to 10.24 to move to seventh on the Italian all-time U23 list.{{cite web|url= https://www.oasport.it/2024/07/atletica-litalia-scopre-un-nuovo-velocista-stephen-awuah-baffour-tempo-di-spessore-a-rieti/ |title=Athletics, Italy discovers a new sprinter? Stephen Awuah Baffour, impressive time in Rieti|website=OA Sport|first=Stephen|last=Villa|accessdate=26 Feb 2025|date=27 July 2024}} In August 2024, racing in London he lowered it again to 10.17 seconds.{{cite web|url= https://www.sportsenators.it/20/09/2024/stephen-awuah-baffour-stravolge-la-velocita-italiana-vorrei-scendere-sotto-i-10-secondi-prima-della-fine-della-stagione/|website=Sportsenators.it|title= Stephen Awuah Baffour overturns Italian speed: "I would like to go under 10 seconds before the end of the season"|first=Marco|last=Cangelli |date=September 20, 2024|accessdate=26 Feb 2025}} In 2024, he won winning two titles, over 100 metres and 200 metres, at the Italian U23 Championships.{{cite web|url= https://www.fidal.it/content/Accelera-Baffour-6-61-a-Sheffield/175040|website=Fidal.it|accessdate=26 Feb 2025|title= Accelera Baffour: 6.61 a Sheffield|date=
25 January 2025}}
=2025=
He finished second behind Yassin Bandaogo at the Italian Indoor Athletics Championships February 2025.{{cite web|url= https://www.oasport.it/2025/02/atletica-bandaogo-batte-baffour-e-ceccarelli-di-misura-sui-60-metri-tempi-alti-ai-campionati-italiani/|website=OASport|accessdate=14 March 2025|title= Athletics, Bandaogo narrowly beats Baffour and Ceccarelli in the 60 meters. High times at the Italian Championships|date=23 February 2025}} He was selected for the Italian team for the 2025 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, where he ran a personal best 6.65 seconds to qualify for the semi-finals. In his semi-final he ran 6.67 seconds but did not proceed to the final.{{cite web|url=https://www.watchathletics.com/page/6430/men-s-60m-results-european-athletics-indoor-championships-2025 |website=Watch Athletics|accessdate=2 April 2025|title= Men's 60m Results - European Athletics Indoor Championships 2025|date=8 March 2025}}{{cite web|website=Fidal.it|url=
https://www.fidal.it/content/Europei-indoor-39-azzurri-per-Apeldoorn/175815|title=
Europei indoor: 39 azzurri per Apeldoorn|accessdate=26 February 2025|date=26 February 2025}} He was selected for the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China in March 2025. He qualified for the semi-finals with a time of 6.66 seconds. In his semi-final he ran 6.67 seconds but did not progress through to the final.{{cite web|url= https://www.watchathletics.com/page/6470/men-s-60m-results-world-athletics-indoor-championships-2025 |website=Watch Athletics|accessdate=2 April 2025|title= Men's 60m Results - World Athletics Indoor Championships 2025|date=21 March 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fidal.it/content/Nanchino-21-azzurri-per-i-Mondiali-indoor/176211|website=Fidal.it|title= Nanchino: 21 azzurri per i Mondiali indoor|accessdate=
13 March 2025}} He competed at the 2025 World Athletics Relays in China in the Mixed 4 × 100 metres relay in May 2025.{{cite web|url= https://www.watchathletics.com/page/6605/mixed-4x100-metres-relay-world-athletics-relays-championships-2025 | website=Watch Athletics|accessdate=13 May 2025|date=11 May 2025|title=Mixed 4x100 Metres Relay - World Athletics Relays Championships 2025}}
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Baffour, Stephen}}
Category:Italian male sprinters
Category:21st-century Italian sportsmen