Ghana’s Chef De Mission, Danso Optimistic About Athlete’s Chances To Win More Medals

Mr. Ernest Danso, Chef de Mission (CDM) for Team Ghana the 13th African Games has underlined the toil of camping over 500 Ghanaian athletes in preparation for the continental multi sports festival from March 3, 2024.

He said national sportsmen and women who were accomodated at Cape Coast from January 9, have moved to the Games Village at the University of Ghana, Legon to continue their training, while the facilities to host the games are tested.

Currently an international Handball is going on at Borteyman, while the University of Ghana will host a national inter schools athletics competition.

Mr. Danso said there were initial challenges but was very optimistic that Team Ghana will overcome all setbacks and move on to challenge for medals at the Games.

“Everything is new to everyone, it is the first time this is happening in Ghana and we have over 500 athletes, camping.”

“It’s been a great challenge, but so far, so good, we’ve all come to some sort of agreement”

An estimated 3500 elite athletes from 50 countries are expected to be in Ghana for the first time in the competition’s history since 1965.

Ghana will take part in discipines like football, athletics, boxing, badminton, cycling, swimming, tennis, table tennis, and triathlon, just to name a few of the 30 events.

At the last 12th edition in Rabat, Morocco, Team Ghana won atotal of 13 medals to place 15th on the medals table, with Egypt at the top amassing 273 medals, Nigeria was in second position with 127 medals and South Africa placed third with 187 medals.

Ghana won its first gold medal through 17-year-old athlete, Rose Amoanimaa Yeboah, won the women’s high jump with a leap of 1.84m. she has now impoved her jumps.

The Men’s 4×100 event was also claimed by Ghana. Team Ghana, with the quartet consisting of Joseph Paul Amoah, Benjamin Azamati, Martin Owusu-Antwi and Sean Safo-Antwi, finished in a time of 38.30 seconds ahead of Nigeria (38.59) and South Africa (38.80).

In the women’s race, Team Ghana placed in eighth place after dropping the baton.

Ghana also won two silver medals in long jump and weightlifting, which amassed nine bronze medals.

CDM Danso believes Ghana will win more than 30 medals at Accra 2023.

By Sammy Heywood Okine