After a thrilling three weeks of big highs and barely any lows, hearts were crashed, dreams were made, and smiles were seen as wide as the ocean and medals, tonnes of them won by athletes for themselves and national pride.
One could not have asked for a better African Games tournament as the curtains draw down in style with a spectacular closing ceremony at the University of Ghana.
At the end of the tournament, Team Ghana picked up over 65 medals, of which 19 were gold.
The highlights of Ghana’s impressive display came on Friday, March 22, 2024, when the country picked up nine medals, of which eight were gold.
The likes of Rose Yeboah (high jump), Joseph Paul Amoah (200m), Evans Cadman Yamoah (high jump), and Samuel Takyi (boxing) all picked up gold medals, hoisting high the flag of Ghana.
These extraordinary feats saw Cadman Yamoah beat his personal best, jumping a new high of 2.23m in the men’s high jump event.
William Amponsah became the first Ghanaian to win a medal for the country in the men’s half-marathon in the history of the African Games, as he ran a time of one hour, five minutes, and 13 seconds. He finished second behind Eritrean sprinter Samson Amare.
Despite the incredible achievements of the Ghanaian athletics team, none of their time qualified them for athletics, and they will have to participate in other global events to be able to meet the standard times to gain entry to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Ghana’s men’s and women’s football teams set a new record by winning gold medals in the same African Games event.
Top musical performances were on display at the University of Ghana Stadium, with Ghana’s very own Livingston Satekla, aka Stonebwoy, shutting the place with back-to-back hit songs.
In a festivity of dancing, cheering, and speeches, the Chairman of the Local Organisation Committee for the Games, Dr. Kwaku Ofosu Asare, said the country has organised one of the best competitions ever after thanking the President of Ghana for putting him in charge of managing the affairs of the tournament.
The Minister for Youth and Sports in Ghana, Mustapha Ussif, expressed his delight in the performance of the Ghanaian athletes at the tournament.
In his address, the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, thanked the continent for coming to join the festival and said he believes it is an embodiment of the friendship shared among the rest of the continent.
Source: CitiNewsRoom
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