2023 African Games: Ghana targets 7 gold medals

With Ghana scheduled to host the African Games from March 8th to March 23rd, 2024, Fuseini boldly declared, “Our target is to win seven gold medals,” in an interview with 3Sports’ Bill Eshun.

Reflecting on Ghana’s performance in the previous edition in Morocco, where they secured 13 medals (including two gold, two silver, and nine bronze), placing 15th in the medal table, Bawa discussed the preparations and collaboration with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and the government.

“All athletes are currently in camp preparing for the games both locally and internationally. There are new equipment and running surfaces available, we’re working with Chef de Mission Ernest Danso to make sure that all teams are ready for the games,” he explains.

“Work has been intense for both getting athletes and facilities very ready for the commencement of the program.”

Speaking about the progress in Cape Coast, where most of the athletes are camped and preparing, Bawa noted, “The time and distance of athletes are improving over time and it’s mind-blowing. Running on a brand new running surface at the Legon, which is the fastest we can get in the world, we’re expecting fireworks on the 27th of March.”

Regarding athlete selection, Bawa emphasizes, “We will not go solely with 36 athletes; it’ll be based on time and distance, and they (athletes) need to qualify by our qualifying standards both indoors and outdoors.”

“By the end of next week, we will have the number we’re looking for. If we don’t get the 36 that make the qualifying standard, we’d either go with the qualifiers or go to the world athletics points build to know which athletes are closer to the qualifier and who has the potential to win a medal for Ghana. But I can tell you we won’t go solely with 36; anybody who’s selected would be based on merit.”

Asked about notable additions to Team Ghana, especially after Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Joseph Paul Amoah decided to join, Bawa said, “[Sprinter] Benjamin Anzamati has agreed to come, James Dadzie, Isaac Botsio and also Cadman Dafu as well as almost all the top athletes in the USA are coming to represent team Ghana.”

“Because of the African games three of the top athletes have skipped the World Indoor Championships (Alex Amankwah, Benjamin Anzamati, James Dadzie) which shows how seriously they have taken the African games.”

Providing an update on injuries, Bawa says, “Sean Sarfo-Antwi has just started training, not so certain if he can make it but there are top athletes to replace him if anything, the likes of Joseph Amoah, Abdul-Rasheed Saminu amongst others.”

“We were limited in Budapest with the athletes who could represent with 4 and one reserve with 2 eventually getting injured. Now we have 8 athletes in 100 meters, even if 3 get injured we’d still have an additional 5 ready for the games.”

“We have an athlete competing for 10,000 meters William Amponsah he has broken all our long-distance records. He’d be running 10,000 meters and 5,000 meters.”