by Silas Boahene | Aug 7, 2024 | Africa, Athletics, Ghana, International
Israeli-born sprinter Blessing Akwasi Afrifah, of Ghanaian descent, is making headlines at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, representing Israel with remarkable performances. Overcoming significant citizenship challenges, Afrifah finished fifth in heat six of the men’s 200m event, earning a spot in the repechage round—a second chance for runners to qualify for the semifinals.
Born and raised in Tel Aviv to Ghanaian Akan immigrant parents, Afrifah faced numerous obstacles to secure Israeli citizenship. His father worked at the Ghanaian embassy in Israel, and his mother was a cleaner. Despite being born in Israel, Afrifah struggled with being treated as a foreigner. After a long battle, including surviving a deportation attempt in 2010 and appealing to the government, Afrifah finally obtained Israeli citizenship in 2020 and served in the Israel Defense Forces in 2022.
Afrifah’s athletic prowess came to the forefront in August 2022, when he defeated favorite Letsile Tebogo in the men’s 200 meters at the world Under-20 championships in Colombia, clocking in at 19.96 seconds. This victory marked a significant milestone, as Tebogo had previously set a junior world record in the 100m. Afrifah continued his ascent, becoming the first Israeli to win a gold medal at the U-23 European Championship in 2023 and setting the Israeli national record for the 200m with a time of 20.95 seconds.
by Silas Boahene | Aug 7, 2024 | Africa, Athletics, International
Former world champion Julius Yego has secured his place in the javelin final at the Paris Olympics with an impressive throw of 85.97 meters during the qualifiers. Known as the ‘YouTube Man,’ Yego finished second in Group ‘A’ qualifiers, just behind Germany’s Julian Weber, who threw 87.76 meters. Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch secured third place with an 85.63-meter throw, making up the leading pack of seven automatic finalists.
Yego, an African javelin champion and former Team Kenya Olympics captain, carries Kenya’s medal hopes in the field event and aims to excel in the finals. In Group B, India’s Neeraj Chopra led with an 89.34-meter throw, followed by Grenada’s Anderson Peters and Pakistan’s Nadeem Arshad.
The six top performers join those who met the qualification threshold of 84 meters for the final. Yego celebrated his qualification with jubilation, receiving loud applause from fans at the Stade de France.
After failing to register a legal throw in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Yego seeks redemption in Paris. He previously won gold with a 92.72-meter throw at the 2015 World Championships and silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Currently ranked 15th in the world, Yego’s personal best remains the 92.72 meters achieved at the Beijing 2015 World Championships. He also finished second at the African Games in Accra, Ghana, with an 81.74-meter throw in March.
by Silas Boahene | Aug 7, 2024 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer
Ghana international Mohammed Kudus has surfaced as a prime target for Newcastle United, who are considering offloading Anthony Gordon to Liverpool. According to iNews, Newcastle might turn to West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen or Kudus if Gordon departs.
Bowen has been a top target for Newcastle this summer, but a move for the 27-year-old appears unlikely. In contrast, Kudus, who joined West Ham from Ajax last summer, has made a significant impact in the Premier League. He scored 14 goals and provided six assists in all competitions during his debut year.
Newcastle fans witnessed Kudus’ talent firsthand during a thrilling 4-3 match between Newcastle and West Ham in March, where the 24-year-old scored and assisted. West Ham manager David Moyes described Kudus as “excellent” following his performance. Kudus’ impressive display has solidified his status as a potential asset for Newcastle United.
by Silas Boahene | Aug 7, 2024 | Africa, Athletics, Europe, Ghana, International
Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet defied expectations to win the women’s 5,000m gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Monday, August 5. Chebet delivered a stunning final kick to outpace her compatriot Faith Kipyegon, finishing with a time of 14:28.56.
Initially, Kipyegon, who secured the second position, was disqualified for obstruction following an incident with Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay with two laps remaining. However, after an appeal, World Athletics reinstated Kipyegon as the silver medallist.
Tokyo 2020 champion Sifan Hassan claimed the bronze with a time of 14:30.61, while Italy’s Nadia Battocletti set a national record, finishing fourth in 14:31.64.
The race was highly anticipated as a showdown among the three fastest women in history over this distance: defending champion Hassan, reigning world champion Kipyegon, and world record holder Tsegay. Chebet’s tactical run over the 12-and-a-half laps culminated in a thrilling sprint finish, overcoming former world record-holder Kipyegon.
Chebet and Kipyegon led for most of the race, with Hassan making her move from the back as the race neared its conclusion. The final two laps saw intense competition, including a brief tussle between Kipyegon and Tsegay. Kipyegon surged to the front with 500 meters to go, closely followed by Chebet, who ultimately pulled ahead in the last 50 meters to secure her first Olympic gold, adding to her silver and bronze from previous world championships.
Paris 2024 Women’s 5,000m Podium:
- Gold: Beatrice Chebet (KEN)
- Silver: Faith Kipyegon (KEN)
- Bronze: Sifan Hassan (NED)
by Silas Boahene | Aug 7, 2024 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer
Black Stars and Coventry City striker, Brandon Thomas-Asante, believes that collaborating with Coventry City assistant manager, George Boateng, can propel his career to new heights. He shared these thoughts in a post-game interview following his Coventry City debut, a 2-1 preseason loss to German side Werder Bremen.
After an impressive previous season, scoring 12 goals and providing two assists in 43 games, Thomas-Asante considered a move to Hull City before ultimately joining Coventry. Boateng, who had scouted Thomas-Asante during his tenure as Black Stars assistant coach, played a crucial role in the striker’s decision to join Coventry.
“Obviously, I was very familiar, and George [Boateng] would come down to watch me for West Bromwich Albion, doing some scouting work for Ghana during his time there, so he was familiar… so when I saw that he was a coach here, knowing that he had a fondness for my game, it made sense, and obviously, he comes with the credentials he’s got through his playing career and coaching career.”
“As well as working with the manager, definitely working with George is something that I feel can give me the edge to take me to the next level.”
