NSA: Sports thrived in 2021 despite Covid-19 challenges
The National Sports Authority (NSA) says the year 2021 was a good one despite the challenges encountered as a result of Covid-19 and other factors.
According to the Director General of the NSA, Prof Peter Twumasi, the sports sector endured a torrid time with Covid-19 and the restrictions which affected sports administration globally.
“That, notwithstanding, Ghana as a nation chalked a few successes and everyone that worked towards them deserve a pat on the shoulder,” he said in a sports review report.
The height of the achievement was a bronze medal win in boxing by Samuel Takyi at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games which attracted a handsome rewards from the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The report also captured the success of bodybuilders who won four gold, two silver and a bronze medals at the Arnold Classics African Bodybuilding Tournament in South Africa,the Black Challenge (National Amputee football team) winning the 2021 Cup of Africa Nations held at Dar El Salam, Tanzania from Nov 27 – Dec 4, 2021 and a bronze medal feat by the National Blind Sports (Goalball) Association female team and the male team’s fourth placing at the 2021 IBSA Africa Goalball Championship hosted at Cape Coast.
The national chess team also won a silver medal at the African Junior Championship and four gold and a bronze medals at the African Individual Schools Championship in Nairobi, Kenya while Abeiku Jackson won a silver and a bronze at the 14th CANA Africa Juniors and Seniors Swimming and Open Water Championships hosted in Accra.
It said Ghana made a mark at the 2021 African Mixed Team championship with a two gold, two Silver and three bronze medals at Kampala, Uganda from October 20 – 29, 2021 with the Ghana Revenue Authority and Ghana Prisons Service also excelling at the Africa Cup for Club Hockey Championships hosted at the Theodosia Okoh National Hockey.
In boxing, Isaac Dogboe, Robert Quaye, Holy Dorgbetor and Manyo Plange were captured for their exploits just as Team Ghana’s feat at the Africa Regional 7s Pre- World Cup Qualification and Winnifred Ntumi bronze medal feat in the female 49kg category at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Qualifier held at Uzbekistan on Dec 7, 2021.
Abubakar Adizatu, Juliana Ampofo, Asana Awudu and Ampofowaa Akosua also excelled in Para sports.
According to the report, Ghana also made a huge number of appearances in both local and international event to make it one of the busiest in recent times.
That includes the West African 7s Pre-World Cup qualifiers which Ghana excelled.
In the year under review, Ghana also inaugurated sub-committees of the Local Organising Committees (LOC) for the 13th African Games, Accra 2023 by the Minister of Youth and Sports and followed by a sod-cutting ceremony for the commissioning of a Sports infrastructure at Borteyman for that purpose.
BY TIMES SPORTS REPORTER