Sports Legends Deserve Better – Three Times Olympian Madam Alice Anum

Retired national athlete, 75 years old Madam Alice Anum has called for a proper, significant, and memorable honoring of past national Sports Heroes and Legends who excelled at the international level.

Speaking to Yours Truly in an exclusive chat at the University of Ghana, Legon Sports Stadium where the legendary sprinter Alice Anum, the original ‘Baby Jet’ came to watch and present medals to some winners said old sportsmen and women who put Ghana on the world map in sports deserve memorable recognition like inscribing their names and images on the walls of the new sports facilities at Legon and Borteyman, like at the Bukom Boxing Arena where names of former world champions are on the various stands.

She suggested suggested that aside street names, they can be remembered with monuments and periodic competitions like the Willie Williams Athletics Competition and Ghana Fastest organized by Reks Brobby which really contributed to the confidence of athletes.

Yours Truly flanked by former top national female stars, Hannah Afriyie, Alice Anum and Comfort Asante

Madam Anum praised the organisers of the 13th African Games and prayed that Ghana will win more medals in Athletics.

She called for more Athletes clubs in an around Legon to make good use of the sports facilities with the support of the University of Ghana, the National Sports Authority and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

She said young athletes need mentors and inspiration so they often look up to someone and want to be like him or her or better.

Alice Anum won gold in Long Jump at the 1965 first All African Games in Congo Brazaville, she won gold in 100 and 200 meters at the 1973 All African Games in Lagos, Nigeria. She attended the Commonwealth Games in 1970 in Edinburgh, Scotland winning silver in 100 and 200 meters and the 1974 edition in Christchurch, New Zealand where she got bronze in 200 meters.

Alice Anum was the first woman to represent Ghana at the Olympics. She has participated in the 1964 Olympics held in Tokyo, 1968 in Mexico and the 1972 Olympics held in Munich.

She benefited from the sponsorship of Ghanaian athletes by the United States and competed for the University of Tennessee.

She was rewarded in 2010 for her achievements in sports by the Action Progressive Institute in Ghana. Women In Sports Association (WISA) also honoured her some few years ago.

But she believes in being honoured whilst she is alive than when she is dead and gone.

By Sammy Heywood Okine