By Stephen Asante
Accra, March 24, GNA – President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is elated about team Ghana’s largest medal haul in history achieved at the 13th African Games, Accra 2023.
Ghana, hosting the Games for the first time (March 02-23), hauled a total of 68 medals – 19 gold, 29 silver, and 20 bronze – which is by far the largest in the nation’s history.
“Let the success of these Games serve as a catalyst to invest further in sports development, and empower our youth to reach greater heights on the international stage.
“You have showcased the best of Ghana to the world,” the President noted in a congratulatory message to the contingent.
With an impressive showing before the home crowd, the country dominated the soccer events as the male U-20 and female U-20 teams both claimed gold for the host.
The hosts were also a delight to watch in the arm-wrestling events, showing their prowess by claiming eight gold medals, and making a strong presence in boxing and athletics.
Ghana finished sixth out of 53 participating nations, an improvement over its 15th position in the 2019 Games in Rabat.
“To the people of Ghana, I thank you for believing in the ability of Government to host the Games, the first time in our history,” President Nana Akufo-Addo stated.
As the nation basked in the glory of this unprecedented success, it was necessary that stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to promoting sports as a tool for national development and unity, he noted.
“Together, we can harness the power of sports to build a stronger, healthier and more prosperous Ghana for generations to come.”
Some 5,000 athletes participated in this year’s African Games in 30 disciplines – an increase from the 2019 African Games, which offered 26 sports. The 2015 Games had 22 disciplines.
The 30 disciplines included eight Olympic qualifying events, 15 non-qualifying and seven demonstration sports that showcased emerging trends and disciplines.
The Olympic qualifying events comprised swimming, athletics, badminton, cycling, tennis, table tennis, wrestling and triathlon.
Demonstration sports included e-Sports, mixed martial arts, sambo and scrabble, promising what the African Union calls a “glimpse into the future of sports entertainment”.
One of the most significant legacies for Ghana is the construction of the new US$145 million (€132.5 million) Borteyman Sports Complex, which comes with a 1,000-seater Olympic-sized pool, 10-lane competition pool and an eight-lane warm-up pool.
The African Games 2023 was also seen as a form of preparation for the 2024 Olympic Games which will take place in Paris in July 2024.
The African Games, formerly known as the All-African Games or the Pan-African Games, are a continental multi-sport event held every four years.
It is organised by the African Union (AU) with the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and the Association of African Sports Confederations (AASC).
GNA