13th Africa Games - Ghana Vrs Athletics

Under the leadership  of His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Ghana hosted a historic sporting event in March, 2024 in Accra Ghana. For the first time in the history of the games, Ghana hosted the games spectacularly with massive support of Ghanaian fans across the vast venues of the Games. 

Accra, the nation’s capital hosted 5000 elite athletes and coaches from fifty-five African countries in twenty-nine selected sports codes. The event was managed by over 3000 technical officers, journalists and global celebrities with TV and online audience of over 5.5 billion. This13th edition of the African Games set the stage for official qualifier for the XXXIII Olympic Games Paris 2024.

The fifteen days of exciting contests of brain and brawn has set yet another stage for the athletics in Ghana. Ghana's athletic prowess was put to the test. Team Ghana did the best in to perform in their numbers. It is necessary for sports lovers to look at the details of Ghana's team performance during the games and draw some lessons for athletics sports development in the country. At the end of the athletics competition hosted in the University of Ghana Sports Stadium, Legon/Okponglo Junction in Accra, Team Ghana placed 5th with 3, 2 and 1 Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals respectively. Team Nigeria topped the medal table with 11 Gold, 6 Silver and 5 Bronze medals. Ethiopia placed 2nd with 7 Gold,  7 Silver and 4 Bronze medals. South Africa came 3rd with  7 Gold, 1 Silver and 3 Bronze medals. Team Kenya placed fourth ahead of Ghana with 6 Gold, 6 Silver and 8 Bronze medal.

Here is the picture, look at Kenya (4th) and Ghana (5th) and see the difference in total medals accumulated.  A difference of 14 medals stands between them. That is huge and calls for a critical attention.

Let us now look at team Ghana's performance in the individuals athletics events; 

The team participated in 25 events with 54 registwred athletes.  On the medals table, Amoah Joseph (20.70s), Evans Yamoah (2.23m)  and Amoanimaa Rose  (1.90m) won Gold in men's 200m, men's high jump and women's high jump events respectively.  The Men  4 X 100m team and Amponsah William (Half Marathon) won Silver. The 4 X 100m women's team also won a bronze medal for Ghana. So, out of the 54 registered athletes, only 4 individual athletes won medals, whiles two relay teams added to the medals table for Ghana.