9TH ALL AFRICAN GAMES IN ALGERIA, GHANA’S MEDAL PROSPECTS
The 9th Pan-African Games, popularly called the All African Games, started over the weekend in the Algerian capital, Algiers.
The All African Games is a continental multi-sport competition held every four years and is organized by the Association of International Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA).
The first Games were held in Congo Brazzaville in 1965 and the International Olympic Committee granted the Games recognition together with the Pan-American Games and the Asian Games.
Pierre Concertin, the founder of the Modern Olympics, mooted the idea of a Pan-African Games as far back as 1920, but the attempt was opposed by the colonial powers, fearing the unifying force of sports among the African people.
The first Games finally took place in Congo Brazzaville in 1965 with 2,500 athletes from 30 independent African States taking part. Egypt won the first competition.
The last four Games were held in Cairo, Harare, Johannesburg and Abuja when Nigeria became the first nation to host the Games twice (1973, 2007).
Perhaps that motivated Algeria to go in as hosts for the second time running i.e. (1978, 2007). Ghana placed10th at the last Games in Abuja, winning 4 gold, 5 silver and 16 bronze.
Though our preparations for Algeria 2007 have not been as thorough as it should be, it is hoped that our sportsmen and women who are representing the nation in Brazzaville at the Games, would return with an impressive catch.
In athletics, Ghana can expect a gold medal in the long jump where defending champion and Commonwealth and World Champion, Ignatius Gaiser, ranked second in the world, is supreme.
There is also Margaret Simpson, also defending champion in the Heptathlon and Andrews Owusu who will also defend his triple jump crown.
In the Sprints, Vida Anim is our hope to improve upon her 100m bronze and 200m silver at the Abuja Games, after winning the 100 and 200 meters gold medals at the African Athletic Champions in Mauritius last year.
Vida will lead the 4x100 metres relay team, including Lizzy Amolofo, Gifty Addy and Esther Dankwa to repeat their gold-winning feat at the African Championships last year, though they will face a stiff opposition from their Nigerian rivals.
The absence of high-profile names like Myles-Mills, Aziz Zakari and Christian Nsiah in the men’s sprints means that the young quartet of Clement Agyeman, Seth Amoo, Nkansah and Kwaku Nimako will have to strive hard to defend the 4x100m relay gold Ghana won in Abuja.
Our four-member boxing team look poised to impress, having prepared quite well under their Cuban Coach Carlos and won several medals in the SCSA and African Boxing Championships.
Then, there is the prolific weight-lifting team led by Commonwealth gold medalist, Majetry Fetiri, who have sworn to bring some medals.
In football, the Black Meteors and the Black Princesses (national women’s U-19 side) will represent the nation.
The Black Princesses have already blazed the trail by beating host nation, Algeria 2-1 in the opening Group ‘B’ game through goals scored by Skipper Dinah Ankamah. The Black Princesses seem poised to grab a medal for the nation.
Though the refusal of foreign clubs to release the likes of Bernard Kumorjie, Haminu Dramani, Sadat Bukari, Nafui Iddrisu, Michael Helegbe and Asamoah Gyan is a big blow, Coach Jones Attuquayefio’s team is determined to do well as players like Emmanuel Clottey, Kojo Asamoah, Tuaha Khamix, Emmanuel Allan, Prince Tagoe, James Boadu, Ernest Sowah, Bawa Mumuni and Kweku Essien strive to make a name for themselves.
Unfortunately, the Meteors lost their first Group ‘A’ game against defending champions, Cameroun 1-0 despite playing a very good game.
We wish all our sportsmen and women the best and hope they will bring us a good haul of medals.