by Silas Boahene | Mar 28, 2024 | Africa, Athletics, Basketball, Boxing, Ghana, International, Other Sports, Soccer
The Transport Committee of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 13th African Games held an awards night on Sunday at the Games Village, Legon, to honor exceptional drivers and volunteers who contributed significantly to the success of the event.
Chairman of the Transport Committee, Mr. Samson Deen, expressed gratitude to all who played a role in ensuring the smooth running of the Games, which welcomed over 5000 athletes, coaches, and officials from 53 countries. He emphasized the importance of the awards in recognizing and motivating the winners to continue their hard work.
Mr. Deen, also the President of the African and Ghana Paralympic Committee, commended the recipients for their outstanding performance, stating, “If what we saw at the stadium and closing ceremony is real, then Ghana has done very well. You did it all.”
He assured that promises made to reward outstanding volunteers would be fulfilled, emphasizing the sense of unity and camaraderie fostered among the volunteers and drivers throughout the Games.
Mr. Ignatius Elletey, a member of the Transport Committee, was honored as the most distinguished personality, receiving applause from fellow volunteers as he collected his plaque.
Certificates of participation were distributed to over 450 volunteers and drivers, with the top three individuals in each category receiving medals. Kamal, a fan favorite, was awarded the title of best driver, earning a gold medal.
Mr. Kwesi Mantey, head of the Catering Committee, underscored the importance of drivers and volunteers in the successful execution of such large-scale events, highlighting their role in serving the nation and international guests.
The ceremony was attended by members of the Transport Committee and the Transport Management Operation (TMO) team, responsible for managing over 332 fleets of vehicles available for the Games’ participants, including saloons, team buses, land cruisers, minibusses, and trucks.
by Silas Boahene | Mar 28, 2024 | Africa, Boxing, Ghana, International
Algerian Ousama Kanouni thwarted Ghana’s hopes of securing a quintet of gold medals on the final night of boxing by defeating crowd favorite Abubakar Kamoko in the men’s 86kg division gold medal bout at the Bukom Boxing Arena last Friday.
Despite Kamoko’s loss, Ghana’s Black Bombers were on track for a clean sweep as four boxers had already secured gold medals before his bout.
However, in front of a packed arena, including his famous father Braimah Kamoko (Bukom Banku), the Ghanaian was outmatched by his Algerian opponent, failing to replicate the brave display that earned him a victory in the semi-final.
Despite this setback, last Friday proved to be a golden night for the Ghanaian team and a fitting end to the boxing competition.
Determined to end the gold medal drought since the 1991 African Games, Mohammed Aryeetey set the Black Bombers on course by defeating his Congolese opponent Livens Zola Tulembekwa via a unanimous points decision in the Minimumweight (48kg) class final.
The gold rush continued as Joseph Commey defeated Zambian Andrew Chilata in the 60kg category final for Ghana’s second gold medal, followed by Mohammed Amadu’s technical knockout victory over Zambia’s Mwengo Mwale in the men’s 54kg division final, securing Ghana’s third gold in boxing.
Olympic bronze medalist Samuel Takyi fulfilled his promise by dominating Zambia’s Emmanuel Katema for a unanimous points victory and a fourth gold for the Black Bombers.
Of the three female boxers representing Ghana (Black Hitters), Janet Acquah was the sole medallist, winning bronze in the minimum weight (48kg) category. Her achievement was also historic as Ghana’s first-ever female boxing medallist in African Games history.
In total, the 13-member Black Bombers secured four gold, one silver, and two bronze medals, with nine failing to reach the medal zone.
Ghana finished in third position in boxing, trailing behind Nigeria and Algeria, which claimed four gold, two silver, and five bronze medals.
by Silas Boahene | Mar 28, 2024 | Africa, Athletics, Basketball, Boxing, Ghana, Other Sports, Soccer
The recently concluded 13th African Games in Ghana have sparked discussions about the exceptional sanitation standards maintained throughout the event, largely attributed to Zoomlion, a leading waste management solutions company.
The U-20 men’s football finals between Ghana and Uganda at the Accra Sports Stadium drew a significant crowd, marking a notable return to large-scale public gatherings. With such gatherings, waste management often poses a challenge, but Zoomlion’s strategic measures ensured that waste did not become an issue.
Madam Jamillah Ghartey, Senior Monitoring and Service Quality Officer for sanitation at the Accra Sports Stadium, emphasized Zoomlion’s meticulous approach. Over 100 personnel were deployed in shifts to ensure continuous waste collection and cleaning.
Before each sporting activity, the morning shift personnel swept the stands, collected overnight waste, and cleaned washrooms. During the games, regular patrols were conducted to collect plastic waste and clean washrooms every 5 to 10 minutes, maintaining a clean environment for visitors.
Zoomlion provided clearly labeled bins for general and plastic waste, along with dedicated trucks for waste collection and transportation. The cooperation of patrons was pivotal in facilitating Zoomlion’s operations, reflecting a collective effort towards sanitation management.
Patrons were pleased with Zoomlion’s performance, advocating for an extension of their contract to maintain venue cleanliness regularly. Nii Armah, a patron, commended Zoomlion for providing world-class sanitation services at the Games.
Before the Games commenced, Zoomlion conducted special training for its sanitation officers at the Army Peace Operations Training School (APOTS) at Bundase Training Camp. The training focused on essential skills such as management, cleaning techniques, crowd control, and teamwork, ensuring high sanitation standards at stadiums and sports facilities.
Decentralized across three cities—Accra, Kumasi, and Cape Coast—the 13th African Games, hosted in Ghana from March 8 to March 23, 2024, witnessed Zoomlion’s exemplary sanitation efforts, contributing significantly to the event’s overall success.
by Silas Boahene | Mar 28, 2024 | Africa, Athletics, International
Halima Nakaayi, Uganda’s middle-distance runner, has set her sights on the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after clinching a silver medal in the women’s 800m final at the 13th All-Africa Games in Accra, Ghana.
Nakaayi secured second place with a time of 1:58:59, trailing behind Ethiopia’s Tsige Geniecu Duguma, who clinched gold with a time of 1:57:73. Kenya’s Vivian Kiprotich Chebet secured the bronze medal.
This marks Nakaayi’s second medal in the 800m race at the continental games, adding to her bronze medal from 2019 in Rabat, Morocco. Susan Aneno, another Ugandan in the 800m, finished sixth with a time of 2.04.79.
Reflecting on her performance, the 2019 world champion expressed confidence in her abilities despite narrowly missing out on gold. “I have been feeling good, but I think I lost it in the last meters,” she remarked. “It’s early in the season, and I am focusing on the Olympics. I believe everything will fall into place.”
Nakaayi’s silver medal contributed to Uganda’s total of nine medals at the Games, comprising two golds (in badminton and cycling), four silvers (three in weightlifting and one in athletics), and three bronze medals (in swimming and weightlifting). Uganda currently ranks 14th on the overall medal table.
In other sports news, Uganda’s National Under-20 football team, the Hippos, made significant strides by advancing to the final of the tournament. Despite initially trailing by two goals against DR Congo, the Hippos staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Congo Brazzaville 4-2 in the semi-final match at the Accra Sports Stadium in Ghana.
by Silas Boahene | Mar 28, 2024 | Africa, Athletics, International
Uganda is poised to make a formidable impact at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Belgrade, with its strongest team ever set to compete across all categories.
Led by reigning and former World cross country champions Jacob Kiplimo and Joshua Cheptegei, a contingent of 27 Ugandan athletes is primed to leave their mark on the event, scheduled for March 30, 2024, at Friendship Park, situated at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers in Serbia.
Kiplimo, who clinched gold in the men’s category at the last edition in Bathurst, Australia, expresses confidence in his ability to face the challenge ahead.
“My preparations are going well,” he recently affirmed.
Under the guidance of Coach Benjamin Njia, the Ugandan team has undergone rigorous training at Trinity Bible Institute for nearly a month.
Dominic Otuchet, President of the Uganda Athletics Federation, exudes confidence in the team’s capabilities, anticipating a strong performance across individual and team events.
“Our expectations are high, aiming for individual gold and silver, as well as team gold. The senior women’s team is stronger this time, poised to vie for individual medals and improve upon last year’s bronze team medal,” Otuchet stated.
The squad boasts talent across various categories, with notable contenders including Leonard Chemutai, Dan Kibet, and defending champion Jacob Kiplimo in the senior men’s event, and Rachael Zena Chebet and Belinda Chemutai in the senior women’s division.
In the U20 category, athletes such as Isella Chebet and Hosea Chemutai are expected to shine, alongside relay team members Knight Aciru and Linda Chebet.
Otuchet also emphasized Uganda’s determination to excel in the mixed relay event, aiming to surpass last year’s performance. While some athletes are still awaiting visa approvals, Otuchet assures that the Federation is actively addressing these logistical challenges to ensure all competitors secure necessary travel documents well ahead of time.
