by Silas Boahene | May 31, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, International, Soccer
The sudden resignation of Laryea Kingston as head coach of the Black Starlets caused instability within the team, according to Neil Armstrong-Mortagbe, the Ghana Football Association’s (GFA) head of Public Relations and Strategy.
Kingston stepped down after the Black Starlets’ defeat to Burkina Faso in the semifinal of the recent WAFU B U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. This loss dashed Ghana’s hopes of qualifying for the next U-17 AFCON, extending the Black Starlets’ absence from the competition to three editions.
Following Kingston’s resignation, the team lost the third-place playoff against Nigeria, finishing fourth despite a strong start to the tournament. Speaking on Joy Prime, Armstrong-Mortagbe noted that Kingston’s departure during the tournament destabilized the team.
“Laryea’s project ran for about seven months… We started with the WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship here, 5-1 against Ivory Coast, next game 2-0. Everybody expected that we should be hopefully qualifying directly to the U-17 AFCON,” he said. “Unfortunately, the results didn’t go our way thereafter. Laryea announced his intent to leave the role in the course of the tournament and I think that created a bit of instability around the team.”
Nana Kweku Agyemang took over coaching duties for the Starlets’ third-place playoff game, which they lost to the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria.
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by Silas Boahene | May 31, 2024 | Africa, Athletics, Ghana, International, Nigeria
Accra will host the CAA Region II Athletics Championship on June 4-5, 2024, at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium, serving as an Olympic qualifier powered by Ghana Athletics.
Top athletes from 15 countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo, are expected to compete in this highly anticipated event.
Dr. Kwame Baah Nuakoh, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Championship, has assured that Ghana will deliver a memorable competition. The Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) selected Ghana to host this prestigious event, underscoring the country’s capability to organize top-tier athletics championships.
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by Silas Boahene | May 31, 2024 | Africa, Boxing, Ghana, International
Ghana’s Theophilus Kpakpo Allotey remains the only Black Bomber still in contention at the Indoor Arena at the Huamark Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, after a significant victory today.
The African Olympic Qualifiers in Dakar bronze medalist, who also won bronze at the 13th African Games, hails from Coach Dr. Ofori Asare’s Wisdom Boxing Gym. Allotey is now the primary hope for Ghana and the Ghana Boxing Federation to secure a spot at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Allotey secured his win with a 4-1 split decision against Anvarzhan Khadzhiev of Kyrgyzstan in the men’s flyweight (51kg) category, advancing to the Round of 16. He now needs two more victories to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
Next up for Ghana is Ornella Sathoud in the women’s middleweight (75kg) category. She will face Aynur Rzayeva of Azerbaijan on June 1, 2024, needing two more wins to qualify.
The Black Bombers who have been eliminated from the Olympic qualifiers are Amadu Mohammed (featherweight, 57kg), Joseph Commey (featherweight, 63.5kg), Henry Malm (light middleweight, 71kg), Jonathan Tetteh (heavyweight, 92kg), and Mark Kojovi Ahondjo (super heavyweight, 92+kg).
Team leader Dauda Fuseni commended the Bombers, noting that other teams had greater motivation. He expressed gratitude to the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) President and the Deputy Minister of Youth & Sports, Hon. Evans Bobie, for their support and inspiration in Bangkok.
“In fact, we have learned a lot. Others have advanced significantly, and we need to step up and take the game seriously,” Fuseni said in a telephone conversation.
Mr. Jojo Ephson, Communications Director of the GBF, remains optimistic that Ghana will qualify at least one or two boxers. “It has been a very tough route to Paris 2024, but we are on course. From Dakar, Senegal, to Italy, to Bangkok, Thailand, one or two will make it,” he assured.
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by Silas Boahene | May 31, 2024 | Africa, Boxing, International, Nigeria
Two Nigerian boxers have been eliminated from the ongoing Road to Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying tournament in Bangkok, Thailand.
Ifeanyi Onyekwere suffered a points decision defeat against Dmytro Lovchynskyi of Ukraine in the Men’s +92kg (Super-heavyweight) round of 32 on Wednesday. Following suit was Blessing Oraekwe, who lost by unanimous points (0-5) to Ani Hovsepyan of Armenia in the women’s 66kg round of 32.
Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the Olympics now rest on three remaining female boxers: Zainab Adeshina (50kg), Patricia Mbata (75kg), and Elizabeth Oshoba (57kg).
The underwhelming performances by Team Nigeria at the qualifiers in Thailand have reduced the chances of the country’s athletes earning a share of the recently announced prize money for medalists at the Paris Games. The International Boxing Association made the announcement despite not being involved in the competition at Paris 2024.
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by Silas Boahene | May 31, 2024 | Africa, Boxing, International
Kenya’s boxing team, the “Hit Squad,” is fighting for a chance to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics at the Boxing Second World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok.
With only three bouts remaining at the Indoor Huamark Stadium, the team’s hopes rest on two boxers. In the women’s 66kg welterweight category, newcomer Friza Anyango will face France’s Sonvico Emille. In the men’s 92kg heavyweight category, Peter Abuti, another global ring newcomer, will face the winner of the Round of 32 match between Poland’s Mateusz Bereznicki and Australia’s Adrian Paolletti on Thursday.
Martha Amina (bantamweight) was scheduled to fight Mongolian Munguntsetseg En Khjargal in the Round of 32 on Tuesday evening.
Several members of the “Hit Squad” have already been eliminated from the tournament, including 75kg middleweight Elizabeth Andiego, 80kg light-heavyweight Edwin Okong’o, and deputy captain Boniface Mogunde. As the second World Qualification Tournament enters its final stages, Kenya’s chances to secure spots for the Olympic Games are dwindling.
Despite intensive training in Cuba, a historical powerhouse in Olympic boxing, the “Hit Squad” has struggled. Cuban boxers have won 41 Olympic gold medals and a total of 78 Olympic medals in boxing, making them the third most successful nation in the sport.
Kenya had previously faced disappointment at the Dakar, Senegal, qualifiers last September and at the first World Qualification Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy. Bangkok represents their last opportunity to secure a quota for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Anthony “Jamal” Ombok, president of the Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK), who accompanied the team to Bangkok, expressed optimism about their readiness for the qualifiers. However, the elimination of Okong’o and Andiego was described by Jamal as a “sad day for the Hit Squad.”
Elizabeth Andiego was defeated by German boxer Irina Nicoletta Schoenberger in a unanimous 5:0 decision on Monday. Schoenberger will face Mexico’s Citlalli Vanessa Ortiz, also known as “Bellatrix,” who triumphed over Deanne Shontel te-paea Read of New Zealand in the Round of 16. Edwin Okong’o lost on points to Mongolia’s Dalai Ganzorig in the Round of 32 in the light-heavyweight category on Monday.
Despite these setbacks, Jamal remained supportive, posting on Facebook, “We gave our best shot.”
Kenya has a storied history in Olympic boxing, with Robert Napunyi Wangila and Chris Sande winning gold and bronze medals respectively at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Philip Waruinge took bronze in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and silver in the 1972 Munich Olympics. Ibrahim Bilali (lightweight) won bronze at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and Dick Murunga (welterweight) clinched bronze in the 1972 Munich Olympics.
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