by Silas Boahene | Jul 18, 2024 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Soccer
Black Stars and Leicester City winger Fatawu Issahaku is optimistic about the 2024-2025 season, with Leicester set to compete in the English Premier League (EPL) after gaining promotion from the EFL Championship.
In an interview with Leicester City media, Issahaku expressed his excitement after signing a permanent five-year deal worth ÂŁ14 million with The Foxes, following a successful loan spell from Sporting Lisbon during the 2023-2024 season.
Issahaku played a crucial role in Leicester’s promotion, contributing 13 assists and seven goals in 43 games last season. Reflecting on the achievement, he said, “For me, winning promotion was amazing. It felt so good and was one of the best moments in my career. I feel so good, and I just want to keep going. I hope that this season goes well as well.”
He praised his teammates, saying, “They’re amazing teammates. Everyone at the Club was giving energy to the team, and it felt so good. I feel so proud. For me, I take it as the beginning. I’m just getting started.”
Issahaku joins fellow Black Stars players Mohammed Kudus, Jordan Ayew, and Ibrahim Osman as Ghanaian representatives in the EPL.
by Silas Boahene | Jul 18, 2024 | Africa, Boxing, Ghana, International
John Zile, the new UBO International Super Bantamweight Champion, known as “The Monster,” has declared that his best performances in the ring are yet to come.
“I have not been tested, and so far, my opponents give up too early when I want to continue and entertain the fans,” Zile stated during an appearance on Omashi TV’s live sports show, ‘The Big Fight Night.’ He expressed his ambition to win a world title, aiming to achieve even greater success in his boxing career.
Zile, who attended Tuabodom SHS, initially aspired to become a lawyer. Recognizing his talent in sports, he first turned to football, which led him to Accra, where he joined Charity Stars at Bubuashie. However, after being benched by his football coach, he shifted his focus to boxing, seeing a brighter future in the sport. “I saw that my future in football was bleak, so I decided to become a boxer,” he said.
Undefeated with a record of 15 bouts and two draws, Zile credits his inspiration to box to Isaac “The Royal Storm” Dogboe, which led him to join the Beach Boxing Gym. He later met Mr. Gordon Frimpong of Osibor Management & Promotions, who introduced him to the Bronx Boxing Gym in James Town. Since then, Zile’s life has transformed, and he has won two titles, the LBO and UBO titles.
He expressed gratitude to the Osibor team, Coach Carl Lokko, and the media for their support in promoting his career. Zile described his fight against Bismark Saah, which was declared a draw, as his best bout to date. “I know I won that fight and wish we could do it again to determine the true winner,” he expressed.
Zile believes that Ghanaian boxing is not thriving as it did during the days of former champions like his idol, Azumah Nelson, and called for more government investment in the sport. He also expressed disappointment that the Black Bombers are not participating in the Olympic Games and encouraged them to train hard for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
by Silas Boahene | Jul 18, 2024 | Africa, Athletics, Europe, Ghana, International, Other Sports
Mr. Kwabena Yeboah, President of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), has congratulated the eight athletes representing Ghana at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. He called on Ghanaian sports enthusiasts to offer their prayers and support for the team, acknowledging the challenges of the upcoming competition.
Mr. Yeboah highlighted the difficulty of qualifying for the modern Olympic Games, noting that Ghana has historically achieved success in boxing, with medals in 1960, 1964, 1972, and 2020, and football, which earned Africa’s first medal in 1992. Despite these past achievements, both sports failed to qualify this year. However, he remains optimistic about the potential success of Ghana’s sprinters and swimmers.
He emphasized the importance of Ghana taking sports seriously and supporting athletes’ preparations for major international events like the Olympics. Mr. Yeboah commended the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) for securing an ideal training base in Strasbourg for Team Ghana and for obtaining sponsorship from organizations such as Republic Bank, Horseman Shoes, Kustom Looks, and the French Embassy in Ghana.
He also urged corporate Ghana to invest in sports, as this provides motivation for athletes to perform their best and win medals for the nation. Mr. Yeboah noted that sports federations must work hard to ensure they can compete in the Olympics, a dream for every athlete.
He called on the government to invest not only in facilities but also in athletes, coaches, and technical officials. Additionally, he encouraged the media to focus on the Olympic Games and inspire Team Ghana with positive coverage.
Ghana will participate in two disciplines, track and field and swimming, at the Games, which run from July 26 to August 11.
by Silas Boahene | Jul 18, 2024 | Africa, Europe, Ghana, International, Other Sports
Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah, President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), has assured Ghanaians that the athletes representing the country at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are focused and eager to perform at their best.
In an interview with Mr. Kwabena Yeboah on Sports Highlights, Mr. Nunoo Mensah addressed recent media reports claiming that athletes in Strasbourg were demanding money from authorities. He clarified, “This is not a time for thinking about money; everything will be sorted by the government.”
He emphasized that he is in regular contact with the team and the Chef de Mission (CDM), keeping him informed about their excellent training conditions.
Ghana will participate in swimming and track and field events at the Paris 2024 Games. The opening ceremony on July 26 will feature a unique parade on the river, with heightened security measures in place.
Mr. Nunoo Mensah also announced that Ghana will have a platform at the Paris Africa Village, where artists like Sarkodie, King Promise, and Kofi Kinata will perform, showcasing Ghanaian culture.
He noted that approximately 16 million people from around the world will be in Paris for the Olympics. He also highlighted other athletes to watch, including Nigerian sprinter Tobi Amusan, Ugandan long-distance runners, and the Jamaican sprint team.
The Paris 2024 Olympics will feature 206 countries competing in 329 events across 32 sports disciplines, with a total of 10,714 athletes participating.
On a legacy project, Mr. Nunoo Mensah mentioned that the Olympic Museum in Accra is being furnished with memorable items to attract sports and history students.
by Silas Boahene | Jul 18, 2024 | Africa, Athletics, Europe, Ghana, International
Mr. Bawa Fuseini, President of the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA), has expressed confidence in the 4x100m Relay Team, highlighting their excellent preparations, training, and recent competitive performances.
The team has been together since 2019 and has competed in prestigious events such as the Penn Relays, the Accra 2023 African Games, and is now heading to Paris with high hopes of making a significant impact.
In the 2019 African Games in Rabat, the relay team made a strong impression on the continent. Ghana had not won an African Games gold in the 4x100m relay since 2003 in Abuja, but in 2019, they claimed the title with a time of 38.30 seconds, setting a Games record in the process. The team also performed well at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
At the 2024 Penn Relays, Ghana competed against sprint powerhouses like Jamaica, testing the team’s depth. Jamaica won the race with a time of 39.59 seconds, while Ghana finished second in 39.71 seconds. Despite missing three of the four sprinters from their African Games campaign, the team, featuring Oduro Manu, Amoah, Ibrahim Fuseini, and Barnabas Aggerh, showed resilience and strength.
The team’s success continued at the 2024 World Athletics Relays in The Bahamas, where Ghana secured their Olympic qualification for Paris, demonstrating steady progress. They clocked an overall time of 38.29 seconds in the Olympic Qualifying Round 2 race, with fast split times and seamless baton exchanges.
The team, consisting of Amoah, Azamati, Fuseini, and Isaac Botsio, displayed impressive cohesion after overcoming a baton drop in their first-round heat the previous day. “We knew what was at stake, so we just had to go in there and try to correct the wrongs from the day before… We are prepared, mentally strong, and ready to go to the Olympics,” Amoah told Olympics.com after the race.
Mr. Fuseini is optimistic about the team’s prospects, believing they can qualify for the finals, where anything can happen. He assured that the coaches have refined their baton exchanges and that the team is ready. Ghana’s quartet is currently ranked 10th in the world.
Additionally, Mr. Fuseini mentioned that high jumper Rose A. Yeboah has made history as the first female from Ghana to compete in Track & Field at the event, expressing confidence in her potential to reach the podium.
