The national amateur boxing team, the Black Bombers, has arrived in Belfast, Ireland, for an intensive three-week pre-Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games training and sparring camp.
Hosted by the Ulster Provincial Council, the camp which serves as the final phase of the team’s preparations for the Commonwealth Games, officially began yesterday, and has the 10-member Black Bombers team, comprising seven male and three female boxers, joining 18 other international delegations for the intense acclimatisation and sparring programme ahead of the global multi-sport showpiece which starts from July 23 to August 2, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Members of the team, who made the trip, include light welterweight boxer, Abdul Wahid Omar (65kg), who doubles as the team captain; bantamweight, Amadu Mohammed (55kg), vice-captain; light heavyweight, Desmond Pappoe (80kg); lightweight, Ebenezer Ankrah (60kg); light middleweight, Precious Akai Nettey (70kg); heavyweight, Jibril Muntari (90kg); and super heavyweight, Daniel Plange (+90kg).
The rest include flyweight, Ramatu Quaye (51kg), bantamweight, Nancy Banfo (54kg), and featherweight Adelaide Djabatey (57kg).
They were accompanied by head coach, Ofori Asare, assistant coach Daniel Lartekwei Lartey with Mr Edmund Ackom, a representative of CGA-GHANA as the leader of delegation together with nutritionist Justine Dzadzetor and physiotherapist George Nbunu Arabia.
Assistant coach Charles Quartey is expected to join the team on Friday.
Speaking ahead of the team’s departure last Sunday, Mr Richard Akpokavie, president of the Commonwealth Games Association of Ghana (CGA), said that the early departure forms part of a strategic blueprint mapped out by the CGA and the Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF) to give the boxers a competitive edge. This allows them to adapt to European weather conditions and refine their tactical sharpness against world-class sparring partners.
He noted that their departure follows a rigorous three-month residential training camp at Winneba Sports College, where the team underwent a physical and tactical training regime that saw a 25-member team pruned down to 10 since April.
Coach Asare thanked the CGA and the GBF for the preparation provided to the team, stating that the Belfast training camp will further boost the team’s morale ahead of the Games.
On his part, Amadu Mohammed expressed the team’s readiness to defend the flag of Ghana at the Games, adding that, “every single member of the team has their eyes on a podium finish.”
“We have been putting in a lot of work in Winneba and are going to finish it up in Belfast. We need the support of Corporate Ghana and Ghanaians to cross over the line, and I hope Ghanaians will listen to our cry as we strive to bring gold to our motherland.” Members of the Black Bombers with head coach Asare (left
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
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