Ghana places second at African Junior and Youth Weightlifting Championships with 13 medals

Ghana has successfully hosted the 2025 African Junior and Youth Weightlifting Championships where the Cranes got 13 medals to finish second behind regional powerhouse, Nigeria in the overall ranking .

The five-day competition which took place at the Ga-Mashie Hall of the Trust Sports Emporium in Accra, ended last Thursday evening with Ghana’s teenagers leaving fans and dignitaries very elated.

The hosts amassed six golds and seven bronzes to the admiration of the President of Ghana Weightlifting, Hon Jerry Ahmed and his board.

Nigeria topped the medals table with nine golds, but Ghana’s young team, trained by national head coach Michael Johnson Abotsi, captured hearts with great display.

They earned praise from Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Iddie Adams, who hailed Ghana’s success as he declared the championships ended.

19-year-olds Emmanuel Amo Boateng and Abdul Salim were the rising stars of Team Ghana.

Boateng set the tone in front of the home crowd, storming to glory in the men’s 71kg category by sweeping the snatch, clean and jerk, and overall titles. His victory was made all the sweeter after overcoming a serious injury just eight months ago.

“It hasn’t been easy in training, but with the right equipment and great coaching, I felt ready,” Boateng told reporters.

“After the injury last December, I needed to prove to myself that I can still do it — and today I did.”

Salim, equally relentless, owned the 110kg class by sweeping all three golds in the snatch, clean and jerk, and total.

His dominance brought the crowd to its feet, confirming Ghana’s growing pedigree in the heavier divisions.

There were also podium moments for the country’s rising female stars. Fifteen-year-old Akos Agozi showed immense courage to win four bronze medals in both junior and youth 58kg, while 16-year-old Sherifa Halidu snatched three bronzes across the divisions. Emmanuel Nii Allotey chipped in with another bronze in the men’s snatch, further swelling the medal haul.

Hon. Adams saluted the lifters’ efforts and lauded Ghana Weightlifting Federation President, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, for masterminding a seamless tournament.

He pledged the government’s backing to chase even bigger hosting rights, including the African Senior Championships and the IWF World Junior and Youth Championships, with the long-awaited Sports Fund Bill now nearing Parliament.

From Sammy Heywood Okine