by Silas Boahene | Mar 2, 2024 | Africa, Athletics, Ghana, International
Benjamin Azamati, Ghana’s 100m record holder, will spearhead the country’s track and field team at the upcoming African Games. Announced by Ghana Athletics, the star-studded lineup includes seasoned athletes like Joseph Paul Amoah, current and former 200m national record holders, who contributed to Ghana’s gold-winning 4x100m relay team in the last African Games.
Azamati, who missed the World Athletics Championships in Budapest last year due to injury, has fully recovered and will be the sole participant in the 100m. Amoah will join him for the relays, bringing their experience from the 2022 Oregon World Championships, where they set a new national record of 38.07s.
The roster for the 100 and 200m events also features James Dadzie, Edwin Gadayi, Solomon Hammond, Sarfo Ansah, and Ibrahim Fuseini. Raymond French, Solomon Diafo, Joshua Bour, and Frank Addo will compete in the 400 and 4Ă—400m events, while Alex Amankwah and Dompey Barnabas will participate in the 800, 400, and 400m hurdles, respectively.
Notably absent is Isaac Botsio from the lineup.
On the women’s side, Hor Harlutie, Mary Boakye, Benedicta Kwartemaa, Janet Mensah, and Deborah Acheampong will race in the 100 and 4Ă—100m relays. Grace Obour, Grace Aduntira, Latifa Ali, Bridget Annan, and Sandrah Appiah will compete in various women’s events, including the 200, 400, and 4Ă—400m relays.
In the field events, Esther Obenewaa aims to defend Ghana’s high jump gold medal, while Abraham Seaneke, Ebenezer Gyimah, Evans Yamoah, and Bugase Rexford will compete in long jump, high jump, high jump, and discus, respectively. Notably, Deborah Acquah will not participate in the women’s long jump.
by Silas Boahene | Mar 2, 2024 | Africa, Athletics, International
Ugandan athlete Victor Kiplangat expresses his readiness for the 2024 Tokyo Marathon scheduled for March 3. Having already achieved the qualifying time for the Paris Olympic Games, Kiplangat is determined to enhance his performance and compete alongside top athletes in Japan.
Under the guidance of coach Addy Ruiter, Kiplangat emphasizes his thorough preparation and eagerness to showcase his abilities in the Tokyo Marathon. He sees this event as a valuable opportunity to refine his skills before the anticipated Olympic Games in France later this year.
While Kiplangat will stand as the sole Ugandan competitor among elite runners, Abel Boniface Sikowo, his compatriot, will serve as his pacesetter. Despite acknowledging the challenge posed by world record holder Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, Kiplangat views it as both a tough test and an opportunity for a faster run.
Other notable contenders in the Tokyo Marathon include Kenyan athletes Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich, Timothy Kiplagat, and Benson Kipruto, along with the Ethiopian trio of Hailemaryam Kiros, Andualem Belay, and Tsegaye Getachew. Notably, Uganda will not have a representative in the women’s category of the Tokyo Marathon.
by Silas Boahene | Mar 2, 2024 | Africa, Boxing, Ghana, International
Ghana’s national boxing team, the Black Bombers, has arrived in Italy for the Paris 2024 Olympic Qualifier. Led by Bernard Quartey, President of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation, and a representative from the Sports Ministry, the delegation includes seven boxers who will compete for coveted slots in the upcoming Olympic Games.
Samuel Takyi, a bronze medalist in the featherweight division at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, is expected to lead the Black Bombers in the light welterweight division. Other team members include Theophilius Kpakpo Allotey (flyweight), Alfred Kotei (light middleweight), Jonathan Tetteh (light heavyweight), and Mark Kojovi Ahondao (heavyweight). Janet Ackah and Warrant Officer Anatu Mohammed from the Black Hitters team will compete in the flyweight and lightweight divisions, respectively.
Coached by Ofori Asare, with Vincent Ackah Nettey as the assistant coach, the team aims to secure slots for the Paris Olympics. Unfortunately, bantamweight boxer Dauda Fuseini will not be part of the team due to a rejected VISA application. The Italian Embassy also denied the VISA for designated team doctor A.S.P Edward Asante.
Ghana, seeking its first boxing slot for the Paris Olympics, will compete for six of the 49 slots available during the tournament in Bursto Arsizio, northern Italy, from March 3 to March 11, 2024. The subsequent qualifying tournament will take place in Thailand from May 26 to June 2.
by Silas Boahene | Mar 2, 2024 | Africa, Boxing, Ghana, International
The United Boxing Coaches Association of Ghana (UBCAG) has conveyed a message of goodwill to Ghana’s super lightweight champion, Faisal Abubakari, and super featherweight champion, Alfred Lamptey, ahead of their upcoming fights in Ghana and UAE, Abu Dhabi, this weekend.
Faisal Abubakari (15-0-13kos) from the Charles Quartey Boxing Foundation Gym is set to face the undefeated champion from Uganda, Latibu Muwonge (8-0-0), for the WBO Africa Super Lightweight Championship in Accra, Ghana.
Alfred Lamptey (13-0-0), a super featherweight prospect from the Black Panthers Gym at James Town, will take on Jaouad Belmedi (19-1-3) from France in a 10-round contest in UAE, Abu Dhabi, as part of his preparation for a future title shot.
A press release from the coaches, led by Charles Quartey with Ernest Ofori as secretary, stated, “The UBCAG has been monitoring their training camps for some time, and we’ve been checking up on both boxers and also have no doubt they will make the nation proud in their respective fights ahead of them coming up this Saturday, March 2, 2024.”
“We wish the boxers and their coaches the very best of luck when they take on their opponents. They should remember, as United Boxing Coaches, we are solidly behind them and have them in our prayers always to make the nation proud,” concluded the release.
by Silas Boahene | Mar 2, 2024 | Africa, Boxing, Ghana, International
Kwasi Ofori Asare, the head trainer of Ghana’s amateur boxing team, the Black Bombers, is setting his sights on a medal haul at the upcoming African Games, with the ultimate goal of securing the elusive gold for Ghana after 33 years.
The last Ghanaian boxer to win gold at the African Games was Steven Dotse Ahialey in 1991. Since then, Ghana has accumulated several medals in boxing at the competition but has been unable to clinch the coveted gold. Coach Asare is determined to break this three-decade jinx on home soil as Ghana hosts the event.
As the competition draws near, Coach Asare, along with five other trainers, is leading an intensive preparation program for the team of 20, consisting of seven female boxers and 13 male boxers. The African Games, scheduled for March 8 to 24, holds the promise of a historic achievement for the Black Bombers.
While aiming for success at the African Games, Coach Asare and his boxers are also eyeing qualification for the Olympic Games in Paris. They are set to participate in an Olympic qualifying event in Busto Arsizio, Italy, aiming to secure spots after facing challenges in the previous qualification attempts.
“We are focused, we have a game plan, and our boxers are well prepared for the Olympic qualifiers and the African Games,” Coach Asare emphasized, expressing optimism about their chances at the March 4 to 11 Olympic qualifying event in Italy.
Despite the dual focus on the African Games and Olympic qualifiers, the Black Bombers’ schedule allows them to compete in Italy before returning home to participate in the boxing contests starting March 15 at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra.
