University of Ghana Athletes Win Big at Local and International Competitions
Barely five months after winning the Ghana Universities Sports Association (GUSA) Athletics and losing five of its top athletes to universities in the United States of America, the University of Ghana Athletics Team (Track and Field) has once again exhibited an exhilarating performance at the just ended Ghana Athletics First National Circuit at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi. The meet in Kumasi marked the first Ghana Athletics (GA) circuit games for the year. The Team won two (2) Gold, six (6) Silver, and three (3) Bronze medals to place 2nd and 3rd in the men’s and women’s category respectively. The team was made up of four (4) female and seventeen (17) male athletes.
Team UG at the GA 1st National Circuit
Rejoice Agbewodie, current holder of UG’s records in the Javelin and Discus, maintained her national dominance in the Javelin. She also got two silver medals from the Discus and Shot-Put events.
Rejoice Agbewodie in Action at the GA 1st National Circuit
Naomi Arthur, a Level 100 middle/long distance sensation won silver in the 5000m event while Vanessa Talata Azangbeo won bronze in the Long Jump.
Naomi Arthur in Action at the GA 1st National Circuit
Aziz Mohammed won the 1500m event as Ishmael Offei and Sadiq Aloo came second and third respectively in the 800m event. Maxwell Peterson and Oyeyoni Oyewale-Johnson won silver in the Long and Triple jump events respectively.
Aziz Mohammed in Action at the GA 1st National Circuit
In an interview with the Head Coach of the Athletics Team of the University, Mr. Emmanuel Bruce-Okine, he indicated his excitement that the Team was able to achieve that success despite losing about five of its top athletes to universities in the United States of America. He mentioned that he was extremely happy with the performances of the athletes. He continued that one was most likely to write the Team off following the departure of five of its top athletes to universities in the USA immediately after the GUSA Games. He added that the Team was still in good shape as the rebuilding continues.
UG Athletics Coach, Emmanuel Bruce Okine
Earlier this week, Saminu Abdul-Rasheed, gold medallist in the Men 100 m race and Grace Obour, also a gold medallist in the Women 200m race at the last GUSA Games emerged Athletes of the Week in the United States of America where the two have enrolled for further studies on scholarship in the Florida and Western Texas Universities respectively.
In another news, the Ghana Athletics (GA) has nominated four former athletes from the University of Ghana in its all-time 100 m rankings. These were Benjamin Azamati, Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, Isaac Botsio and James Dadzie. The four placed 1st, 6th, 7th, and 10th respectively.
Benjamin Kwaku Azamati
The Director of Sports, Dr. Bella Bello Bitugu in commenting on the nominations by the GA expressed excitement at the recognition of athletes the Directorate spent time and resources to unearth and nurture to become the stars they are today. He indicated it was the result of patient and deliberate investment by the University that has brought about the success. He expressed appreciation to University Management for their believe in the vision of the Directorate and their continuous support of the programmes of the Directorate.
Director of Sports at UG, Dr. Bella Bello Bitugu
Ghana Athletics All-Time 100m Rankings. Source: Ghana Athletics