by Silas Boahene | May 13, 2024 | Africa, Athletics, Ghana
At the GNPC Ghana Fastest Human Tamale Open Meet held at the Alhaji Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium on Saturday, May 11th, 2024, Edwin Gadayi and Janet Mensah, both representing the Sagnation Club from the Ashanti Region, emerged victorious in the senior men’s and women’s 100-meter races, respectively.
Having previously competed for Ghana at the 13th African Games, Gadayi and Mensah displayed exceptional form and thrilled spectators with their performances, clinching victories in impressive times.
The Tamale Meet garnered significant attendance, particularly from tertiary and secondary school students, and was honored by the presence of the Minister of Youth & Sports, Honorable Mustapha Ussif.
Following the success of the Tamale event, the GNPC Ghana Fastest Human series will continue with meets at the Cape Coast Stadium on May 25th, the Kumasi Baba Yara Stadium on June 15th, and the final showdown at the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon, Accra, on June 29th, 2024.
Below are the hand-timed results from the event:
U15 Boys – 100m
1st. Abdul Rahman Mahamudu, Gbewah Athletics Club, Northern Region (11.08s)
2nd. Seidu Mohammed Hardi, Gmariga Athletics Club, Northern Region (11.34s)
3rd. Seidu Abdul Basit, Walewale Shs, North East (12.07s)
U15 Girls – 100m
1st. Mary Kofi, New Generation Club, Upper West (13.15s)
2nd. Baburidei Nima, New Generation Club, Upper West (13.31s)
3rd. Dor Martha, Sisco Athletics Club, Northern Club (13.69s)
U18 Boys – 100m
1st. Abdulai Alhassan, Sora Club, Northern Region (10.68s)
2nd. Abdul Adam Wakilu, Sora Club, Northern Region (11.18s)
3rd. Abdul Basit Abdulai, Sora Club, Northern Region (11.31s)
U18 Girls – 100m
1st. Behir Beatrice, Max Speed, Northern Region (12 55s)
2nd. Damba Abigail, Bawa Barracks, Northern Region (13.28s)
3rd. Naparija Ruth, Sisco Athletics Club, Northern Region (13.37s)
Seniors (Males) – 100m
1st. Edwin Gadayi, Sagnation Club, Ashanti Region (10.29s)
2nd. Gabriel Fletcher, UDS, Northern Region (10.49s)
3rd. Francis Kweku Nnuro, UDS, Northern Region (10.65s)
Seniors (Females) – 100m
1st. Janet Mensah, Sagnation Club, Ashanti Region (11.69s)
2nd. Grace Aduntira, UDS, Northern Region (11.84s)
3rd. Felicia Awudu, UDS, Northern Region (12.22s).
Title suggestion: “Ghana Fastest Human: Edwin Gadayi and Janet Mensah Triumph in Tamale Open Meet”
by Silas Boahene | May 13, 2024 | Africa, Basketball, Europe, International, Nigeria
Prince Harry and Meghan have arrived in Nigeria to show their support for the Invictus Games, which aim to assist wounded veterans, including Nigerian soldiers who have been engaged in a 14-year battle against extremists.
Invited by the military, the royal couple touched down in Abuja on Friday, May 10th, according to defense spokesman Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau.
Their agenda includes meetings with wounded soldiers and their families, focusing on boosting morale and well-being.
“This engagement with Invictus is giving us the opportunity for the recovery of our soldiers,” said Abidemi Marquis, director of sports at Nigeria’s Defense Headquarters.
Prince Harry, a veteran himself who served in Afghanistan, established the Invictus Games in 2014 to provide wounded veterans and servicemembers with the chance to compete in sports events similar to the Paralympics.
During their visit, the royal couple will attend basketball and volleyball matches and meet with local non-governmental organizations in Abuja and Lagos, recipients of their support.
Meghan is scheduled to co-host an event on women in leadership with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization, according to spokesman Charlie Gipson.
The news of Meghan’s visit has generated excitement in Nigeria, where her life and royal family connection are closely followed.
The Nigerian military views the Invictus Games as beneficial for the recovery of personnel involved in the fight against Boko Haram extremists since 2009.
“The recovery program has given them an opportunity to improve their personal self-esteem, mental health, and emotional intelligence,” said Marquis.
by Silas Boahene | May 13, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, Soccer
Bofoakwa Tano has secured their place in the final of the MTN FA Cup with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Dreams FC in the semi-final clash at the WAFA Park in Sogakope on Sunday, May 12th.
They are set to face Nsoatreman FC in the final match next month, following Nsoatreman’s 2-1 triumph over Legon Cities in the other semi-final encounter on Saturday.
In a thrilling semi-final showdown, Elijah Addai’s injury-time goal sealed Bofoakwa Tano’s victory over Dreams FC, setting the stage for an all-Bono final after an exhilarating contest in Sogakope.
Aboagye Dacosta opened the scoring for Bofoakwa in the 47th minute, but Emmanuel Adjei leveled the score for Dreams FC with a penalty in the 60th minute. However, it was Elijah Addai’s late heroics that ultimately secured the win for Bofoakwa Tano.
Goalkeeper Emmanuel Kobi, who earned the Man of the Match award, delivered a stellar performance, thwarting Dreams FC’s attacking efforts in front of a sizable crowd.
Bofoakwa Tano’s victory at the WAFA Park keeps their hopes alive for silverware this season and dashes Dreams FC’s aspirations of returning to continental football.
In an eventful match, Dreams FC’s striker Joseph Esso missed three excellent scoring opportunities, a fact that he will undoubtedly regret.
by Silas Boahene | May 13, 2024 | Africa, Ghana, International, Other Sports, USA
Abubakar Yakubu Lea, a Ghanaian tennis player, has etched his name into the annals of Shawnee State University’s sports history by becoming the institution’s inaugural tennis player to achieve a national ranking by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association-National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (ITA-NAIA).
Currently positioned at an impressive 68th in the national rankings, Yakubu Lea has surpassed Spaniard Gonzaga Lafarga (69th) but narrowly missed out on overtaking fellow Spaniard Borja Delgado (67th), as per the latest ITA rankings unveiled on May 2, 2024.
Securing a national ranking within the ITA-NAIA domain marks a significant milestone for Yakubu Lea, making him the first-ever tennis player, regardless of gender, to achieve such recognition.
Throughout his remarkable 2024 season, Yakubu Lea demonstrated his prowess by amassing an 11-6 record in official matches, along with an additional victory in exhibition play.
His accomplishments include earning the River States Conference Newcomer of the Year award and defeating Jose Andres Perez Perez, the River States Conference’s Player of the Year and the 36th-ranked player nationally.
Additionally, as a freshman, Yakubu Lea triumphed over NCAA Division I singles talent Carlos Rodriguez Gonzalez, who held the top singles position for Lindenwood University and secured notable victories over Saint Louis University and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Amassing two River States Conference Player of the Week accolades during the spring season, Yakubu Lea boasts an impressive International Tennis Federation World Tennis Number of 17.9.
In doubles competition, he achieved a 7-7 record and is poised to play a more prominent role in this aspect in the upcoming season.
Despite facing formidable opponents, Yakubu Lea’s six losses came against highly ranked competition, including players ranked in the top 25 nationally within their respective associations.
His defeats included narrow margins against top-ranked opponents such as Vaclav Schneider (No. 4 ITA-NAIA), Timur Chsherbakov (No. 24 ITA-NAIA), Max Barriere (No. 38 ITA-NAIA), Issac Steiner (No. 44 ITA-NAIA), and Kael Shalin Shah (No. 9 NCAA Division III).
by Silas Boahene | May 13, 2024 | Africa, Athletics, Ghana, International
Ghana Athletics (GA) has issued a statement urging the public and the sports community to disregard social media reports alleging that the national 4x100m relay team financed their trip to the Bahamas independently. Led by Bawa Fuseini, the federation clarified that neither the athletes nor the accompanying officials bore the financial burden of their participation in the World Athletics Relays, where Ghana secured qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The statement emphasized that the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS) played a pivotal role in supporting the relay team’s journey. MOYS not only financed their participation in the 2024 Penn Relays in the United States but also facilitated funding for their crucial trip to the World Relays.
GA expressed gratitude to MOYS and Minister Mustapha Ussif for their steadfast support in preparing Ghana Athletics for the 2024 Olympic Games. Additionally, the federation extended appreciation to all Ghanaians for their overwhelming support of the 4x100m relay team’s remarkable performance at the 2024 World Athletics Relays in Nassau, Bahamas.
The statement lauded the professionalism and dedication of the relay team, including Captain Joseph Paul Amoah, Benjamin Azamati, Isaac Botsio, Sean Safo-Antwi, Ibrahim Fuseini, Joseph Oduro-Manu, and Barnabas Aggerh. GA affirmed its unwavering support for the athletes as they gear up for Paris 2024 and called upon corporate entities to collaborate with GA and the Ministry to ensure adequate preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games.
