By Rihana Adam, GNA
Accra, May 24, GNA – Ghana’s para powerlifting team won three bronze medals at the just-ended ORAN African Open Para Powerlifting Championships 2026 in Algeria.
In the men’s 107kg+ category, Tahiru Haruna won bronze, while Isaac Nii Ayetey Tagoe secured bronze in the men’s 72kg category, and Isaac Obeng also clinched bronze in the men’s 59kg category.
In a remarkable achievement for a Ghanaian athlete, Haruna was officially recognised as the number one ranked athlete in Africa in the men’s 107kg+ division and was presented with a special gold medal for topping the African rankings.
He was subsequently crowned Africa’s number one athlete in the men’s 107kg+ category.
This achievement marks another major milestone in Ghana’s growing presence on the global para powerlifting stage and further strengthens the country’s qualification pathway towards the LA 2028 Paralympic Games.
Haruna’s performance in Oran showcased resilience, discipline, strength and consistency against some of the world’s best para powerlifters, reinforcing his status as one of Africa’s elite competitors in the heavyweight division.
Following his success in Algeria, Haruna is expected to continue his international campaign at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in July, where he aims to improve his performance totals, secure more world ranking points and intensify his qualification drive towards Los Angeles 2028.
Speaking after the competition, Haruna dedicated the achievement to Ghana and the leadership vision driving para sports development.
He said they had been working hard to reach the top and that the medals were dedicated to National Paralympic Committee-Ghana President Samson Deen in support of his “Mount the Podium Agenda”, which emphasises discipline and hard work.
The latest achievement adds to Ghana’s growing medal success at the African Open Championships and highlights the determination of Ghanaian para-athletes to compete and excel at the highest international level despite limited support and resources.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade