NHS nurse and former ‘fastest woman in Africa’ to retire after almost five decades

Matron Rose Amankwaah, who represented Ghana at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, will retire at the end of this month after 49 years as an NHS nurse.

Mrs Amankwaah, known affectionately as Matron Rose while at work, has spent her whole nursing career at Central Middlesex Hospital in London.

Mrs Amankwaah competed in a number of major competitions including the Africa Games, the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.

Mrs Amankwaah moved to England in 1974 aged 22 and shortly afterwards started training to be a nurse.

Meetings with royalty and politicians

Her athletics accolades include a bronze medal in the 4x100m relay at the Commonwealth Games in New Zealand in 1974, representing Ghana in the same race at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games and a gold medal in a 200m race in an Africa versus America athletics competition in 1973.

She also won a silver medal in the 100m at the Africa Games and was part of the Ghanaian team that won the 4x100m relay at the same competition.