GOC marks International Olympic Day with walk
The Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) last Saturday marked this year’s International Olympic Day with a walk through some principal streets of Accra to promote the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect while encouraging mass participation in sports and physical activities to stay healthier and stronger.
Under the theme “Let’s Move,” the walk was organised in collaboration with the National Sports Authority (NSA) and the Ghana Education Service (GES), bringing together nearly 1,000 students drawn from 20 basic and secondary schools across the region, as well as athletes and heads of 21 selected sports federations.
The walk, led by GOC President, Mr Richard Akpokavie, General Secretary Mohammed Muniru, NSA Director General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, his two deputies Gideon Hammond and Veronica Commey, and heads of various federations, started at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum. It included athletes, coaches, students, and supporters and ended at the Tennis Court of the Accra Sports Stadium, where participants engaged in some aerobic exercises.
Addressing participants, Mr Akpokavie stated that the theme for this year’s event, “Let’s Move,” was adopted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) as part of its ongoing initiative aimed at inspiring and supporting people to move more.
“’Let’s Move’ shines light on the benefits of playing sports and working out together, which is part of the Olympic Movement’s mission to make the world a better place through sport,” he said.
He noted that a WHO 2024 report indicated that one in every four people on earth is inactive and does not engage in any physical activity at all, which is detrimental to health.
He used the occasion to call on Ghanaians to incorporate regular physical activities into their lives.
“When we were young, there were no phones or tablets, so the only thing we had to do was go outside and play, which kept us more active and healthy. However, the present generation now has tablets, phones, televisions, etc., which have reduced their involvement in physical activities, and this is not good.”
“It is good to have all these items, but please remember that you must also go out and play, move, and engage in physical activities that will make you healthier and stronger.”
While revealing plans to celebrate the day across other regions in Ghana in the coming years, Mr Akpokavie emphasised that Olympism is very important as it instills values such as excellence, respect, and friendship—not only for sports but for life as well.
On his part, NSA Director General, Mr Ampofo Ankrah, welcomed the return of the Olympic Day celebrations and pledged his organisation’s continuous support for the GOC and sports in general in the country.
He noted that they would do their best to make facilities available for the promotion of all sports.
Participants had a rare opportunity to experience firsthand demonstrations from 21 sporting disciplines, including arm wrestling, badminton, boxing, baseball/ cricket, fencing, handball, judo, taekwondo, karate, table tennis, tennis, rugby, among others. This provided them with a unique chance to explore various sports and discover new interests as well as unearth new talents.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
