Weightlifters storm gym tomorrow for trials
Weightlifters will take charge of the heavy metals tomorrow morning as the Ghana Weightlifting Federation (GWF) stages a special trial competition at the Accra Sports Stadium to prepare them for the onerous challenges ahead.
Billed to be thrilling as usual, the event will feature talented junior and senior lifters.
Chief weightlifting coach Michael Abostie, told the Times Sports yesterday that the trials is part of preparations towards a competition in Cairo, Egypt, as well as the France 2024 Olympic qualifiers.
The Cairo competition is expected to roar off from October 26 to November 4, this year and would have athletes compete in a total of 20 weight categories (10 for men and 10 for women) – in snatch and clean and jerk lifts.
The men categories include 55 kg, 61 kg, 67 kg, 73 kg, 81 kg, 89 kg, 96 kg, 102 kg, 109 kg and +109 kg.
Female lifters will take a crack at 45 kg, 49 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 64 kg, 71 kg, 76 kg, 81 kg, 87 kg and +87 kg.
Coach Abotsie believes tomorrow’s trials would give him a fair idea about the state of readiness of his ‘weight carriers’ ahead of strenuous impending events.
“We have been training vigorously for a similar championship in Morocco next month which has been cancelled. So, we’re now turning attention on Cairo from which we shift focus to the Olympic qualifiers in December,” he stated.
The national coach was confident that the various competitions would shape up the lifters put them in fine fettle ahead of the Accra 2023 African Games.
“My target is to put together a formidably winning team – and I know we shall get there.”
Tomorrow’s test is expected to start at 9.am to 1.pm.
BY JOHN VIGAH