Ghana loses momentum in ECOWAS games

Team Ghana failed to maintain their impressive start in the ongoing second edition of the ECOWAS Games.

Ghana was leading the medal table with 5 gold medals, 3 silver and 5 bronze and was followed closely by Nigeria with 2 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze.

After the penultimate stage however, the Ghanaian contingent failed to win a gold medal and in the process have fallen behind the Nigerians who were dominant in almost all the events of the day.
Ghana now has a total of 17 medals (5 gold, 7 silver and 5 bronze).

Nigeria leads with 18 medals (8 gold, 7 silver and 3 bronze).

Nonetheless Ghana managed to win silver medals in the 4x100m relays for both sexes. They were piped to the Gold medal by the pacey Nigerians who made a time of 40:15 seconds for the men and 45:63 seconds for women.

Sierra Leone took the bronze medals in the relays for both sexes.

Daniel Gyasi was second best to Nouredine Mahamdou from Niger in the 400 m male division. Mahamdou clocked 47:27 seconds. Chuchuma Madunta of Nigeria came third.

Adelaide Nkrumah’s efforts earned her bronze in the 400m finals in the female division which was won by Uwakwe Nkaruka.

Nkaruka time was 52:95 seconds her colleague Osita Rita picked up the silver medal with a time of 53:39 seconds. Adelaide made a time of 55:42 seconds.

In the 5000 women race, Abala Atchade from Togo was the victor. Aminat Oloura from Nigeria placed second closely followed by the Atta Afia Mato from Ghana. Their respective times were 15:43, 15:57 and 16:00.

Ghana’s hope of gold in the women high jump did not see the light of day.

Mary Quayson settled for Silver in the ladies high jump. Hope Aruya won the ladies high jump whilst Koulemi Lissette from Benin won Bronze for her country.

Ghana was also left empty handed in the men’s high jump event. The event was won by Jabadajide Okula from Niger with a jump of 1.95m.

Jensen Kadmiel from Liberia won his country’s first medal by placing second in the high jump. He jumped as high as 1.90m.

Abubacar Mohammed of Ghana gave the Ghanaians fans something to shout about by wining bronze. He jumped 1.85m.

When asked about Ghana’s not so impressive performance on the day, coach Richard Blasou felt cheated.

“The Nigerians, look at them very well they are bigger and older than our young boys and girls” he said with a frown.