UG CROWNED GUSA CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONS
The University of Ghana male Cross Country Team has been crowned champions of the just ended 25th Ghana Universities Sports Association (GUSA) Cross Country Competition held at the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho on Saturday, 13th August, 2022.
The University of Ghana (UG) male Cross Country Team returned to the podium after five years of huffing and puffing. They won the male category with a total score of 47. The University of Education, Winneba and the University of Cape Coast finished second and third, with 88 and 94 scores respectively.
UG Male Cross Country Team
The male Team's impressive showing in the competition was even sweeter when taken into consideration the fact that the first six (6) to finish in the Top 13 are made up of four (4) Level 100 students and two Level 200 students tasting the event for the first time. Also, all six are beneficiaries of the University of Ghana Policy on the Admission of Athlete Students and the University of Ghana Sport Fund (with the exception of Ishmael Acheampong Offei and Asigbey Tony).
Coach William Awunime Akuka
Speaking after the competition, the cross country Coach for UG, William Awunime Akuka, asserted that they have been longing to achieve success in the competition. He mentioned the strategy of four UG athletes finishing in the top 6 was beautifully executed by his athletes.
"We have been fighting for this trophy for the past five years since we won it in 2014. I am excited that these athletes have brought the trophy to the hill of knowledge. The strategy was for four of our athletes to at least finish in the Top 6 and all six in the Top 13. We were sure this would increase our chances of winning and it worked to perfection. Most of my athletes were in the competition for the first time. Sharing my experience with them was a great motivation for them and they aspired to reach similar heights."
UG finished 5th with 160 points in the female category. University of Cape Coast, University of Education, Winneba, University for Development Studies, and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology ranked first through fourth.
Mr. Akuka remarked that although they had to make do with athletes who are short and middle distance runners for this competition, he was still proud of the ladies for coming out to wear the colours of UG even when the task was a daunting one.
The contingent returned safely to the Legon campus on Sunday, 14th August, 2022.