President of the Nigerian Boxing Federation and an executive member of AIBA, Dr. Joseph O. Ayeni has congratulated Dr. Ofori Asare for his achievement at the 2020  Tokyo Olympic Games.

In a message to the Ghana coach who led 20 years old Featherweight boxer Samuel Takyi to win a bronze medal, the top Nigerian International sports executive said:

‘The Olympic coach of all coaches. I sincerely thank God for your uncommon achievements. Your testimony is not strange to come to some of us who know your hard work and contributions over the years.

Once more accept my hearty congratulations for your boxer’s Olympic medal” he said.

Dr. Asare who is a four time Olympian aided Samuel Takyi to win Ghana first medal in 29 years, and the first boxing medal in 49 years.

By Sammy Heywood Okine, Tokyo

Courtesy GOC Communications / Ashfoam / Twellium

The Accra Sports stadium will host the final of the 2020/21 MTN FA Cup on Sunday, August 08, 2021.

The knockout tournament which is Ghana’s oldest football competition will pit two of the nation’s finest teams against each other.

Premier League champions Accra Hearts of Oak – who holds the record as the most successful club in the history of the FA Cup with 10 titles will come up against 1993 champions AshantiGold SC from Obuasi.

The FA Cup final is returning to the capital for the first time in seven years following the decision of the Ghana Football Association to rotate the venues for the final matches.

The last final that was held at the Accra Sports stadium was in 2014 when Asante Kotoko beat Inter Allies 2-1 to win a record eighth FA Cup title.

The match between Accra Hearts of Oak and AshantiGold SC, scheduled for 5pm kick off will be broadcast live on StarTimes Adepa 247.

Source: GFA

After he won the bronze medal at the African Olympic Qualifiers in 2019 in Dakar, Senegal, Samuel Takyi promised his fans that he will go to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and come home with a medal.

Truly, the 20 years old chap has made it bigger. He nearly entered the final of the 57kg Featherweight division had it not been unfair officiating at the Kokugikan Arena.

In an exclusive interview with Yours Truly, he said he was content and excited to go to Accra with an important medal on his neck.

Samuel Takyi did it in style, as the only African boxing medalist at Tokyo2020. The only other African with the chance of a medal, Algeria's Imane Khalif was eliminated in the quarters of the women's lightweight division. She lost a shutout 5:0 to Ireland's Kellie Harrington.

The young boxer lost his semi-final fight to American Duke Ragan on Tuesday morning.

His success ended Ghana’s 49 years gap for an Olympic boxing medal after Prince Amartey won the bronze medal at Munich 1972.

The fact also remains that Ghana’s last Olympic medal was a bronze by football at  the Barcelona 1992 games.

Takyi’s medal will be the fourth at the biggest sports festival for Ghana in the boxing event, as he joins the eminent group of Clement Quartey – 1960 - Silver, Eddie Blay – 1964 - Bronze and Prince Amartey – 1972 – Bronze, as the only men to have won Ghana  individual Olympic medals.

In boxing at the Olympics, both losing semi-finals are awarded bronze medals, meaning Takyi will get a medal irrespective of the outcome of his semi-final fight.

The Atukpai born rising super star started slowly in his Semi Final bout just like in his Quarter final fight against Colombian Avila Sagura, but the experienced American Duke Ragan used a few tricks in the game to win the first round.

Skillful Takyi,  reconvened in the second round, but the youngster was caught multiple times by Ragan in a brawly third round where neither boxer controlled.

The judges scored the fight 4-1 in favor of the American, ending Takyi’s and Ghana’s dream of a first-ever gold medal, but ultimately still a legendary journey for the boy who is now based at Korle Gonno, in Accra.

Back at the Games Village, he said the referee was aiding the American who kept fouling him, but he (Takyi) was rather warned severally.

According to the Ring Warrior, his opponent was shivering throughout, while he also wanted to exhibit his skills, but it did not work and the verdict was given to the American. He pledged to meet him again to revenge.

“However, I am happy to take something home, and I am glad to be an Olympic Medalist which I promised my family and friends” he expressed.

The fight was watched by the ANOCA President Mustapha Berraf, the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) boss, Ben Nunoo Mensah and Mohammed Sahnoon the Secretary General of the GOC. All top officials commended Takyi’s brilliance and wished him a fruitful future.

By Sammy Heywood Okine, Tokyo

Courtesy GOC Communications / Ashfoam / Twellium

Tokyo 2020: Sports Minister Announces Bonus Package For Team Ghana

The Minister of Youth & Sports, Hon. Mustapha Ussif on Monday evening announced the Bonus Package for athletes and coaches at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

He said each sports man or woman who wins a Gold medal will get $5,000, and a Silver medal winner gets $4,000, whilst the third placed or Bronze winner takes home $ 3,000.

Speaking in a zoom meeting with the athletes and officials, he disclosed that any athlete who qualifies from the preliminaries to the next stage will receive $1,000.

He urged Samuel Takyi who has entered the medal zone and fights American, Duke Ragan at the semi finals to win and go for the gold.

He also urged the 4x100 team and captain Joe Paul Amoah to try their best to earn a medal in the 200 meters and relay.

According to him, President Nana Akuffo Addo also has a Special Package for those who will excel and win the ultimate.

President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah who initiated the meeting which the three Black Bombers, Athletics Team and weight lifter, Christian Amoah took part with his coach, Kyle Pierce advised the athletes to perform well and make names for themselves.

In attendance were the Chef de mission of Tokyo 2020 Mr. Michael Aggrey, Director General of the National Sports Authority Professor Peter Twumasi and Covid 19 Liason Officer, Mr. Haruna Adamu.

Also present were Administrator of the Team, Miss Farida Iddris, Vice President of  the GAA Mr. Afelibiek Ababu, and Deputy Director HR of Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ms Francisca Atuluk as well as members of the Medical Team and some members of the GOC Communications Directorate.

By Sammy Heywood Okine, Tokyo

Courtesy GOC Communications / Ashfoam / Twellium

Ghana medal hopeful, Benjamin Azamati missed out on making the semi-finals of the 100m race at the ongoing 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games after falling short in his heat.

The young athlete of Ghana’s track athletes at the Games in Tokyo took to the tracks in a heat to seek a place in the semi-finals, but finished with a time of 10.13 seconds and came fourth failing to make the semis.

It adds to the few losses Ghana has suffered at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games as they chase for a first medal since 1992 continues.

Samuel Takyi has already booked a bronze, but Coach Asare says they want to change the colour to gold.

Meanwhile, there is hope in the men’s relay race where Benjamin Azamati and his compatriots will be competing.

From Sammy Heywood Okine, Tokyo

Courtesy GOC Communications / Ashfoam / Twellium

Weightlifter Christian Amoah missed out on a chance to win an Olympic medal after finishing fourth in the second round of the men’s 96Kg in the weightlifting event.

The 22-year-old cleared the first round successfully, making the 140 snatch and 165 clean and jerk.

The second round proved a daunting task for him, only clearing the 145 snatch and 170 clean and jerk on the second attempt.

This handed him a total of 315 and a position above Palestinian Hamada Mohammed and well behind Greece’s Iakovidis Theodoros (338), Tchatchet II Cyrille, a refugee Olympian (350), and Cuba’s Saez Vera Ofildes (359).

Amoah becomes the 6th Ghanaian to exit the games following earlier eliminations of judoka Kwadjo Anani, triple jumper Nadia Eke, swimmers Abeiku Jackson and Unilez Takyi and boxer Samir Shakul.

Amoah, who ranked number 4 in the Commonwealth Games list of category 96 kg athletes, was hoping to make his mark in his second Olympic Games.

Christian grabbed 3 Gold medals in the Africa Weightlifting Junior Championships in Uganda, 3 Bronze medals in the African Games in Morocco, and 2 Bronze medals in African Weightlifting Championships in Egypt.

He made his Olympic debut in Rio, Brazil 2016

From Sammy Heywood Okine, Tokyo

Courtesy GOC Communications / Ashfoam / Twellium

… Samuel Takyi Qualifies To Olympic Games Semi Final

Ghana’s only survivor in the boxing competition at the 2020 Olympic Games, Samuel Takyi aka ‘The Golden Ring Warrior’ has disclosed that he came for four fights and God has listened to his prayers, and he is not letting anything change his ambition of winning a gold medal.

“I am the best in the world at the 57kg” he told Yours Truly at the start of the tournament, and he has believed in himself to the medal zone.

The Black Bombers coach describes him as the most talented and skillful in the team, but has not yet shown what he is made of, however he will exhibit it at the semis and finals.

The Accra-born Bomber had it quite rough and tough against 32 year old Colombian Ceiber David Avila in the quarter final and had to fight hard to gain a 3:2 victory.

The twenty-year-old Samuel Takyi ended Ghana many years wait for an Olympic medal with a strong-willed come-from-behind to win at the Kokugikan Arena to bring back smiles to the faces of Ghanaians as the has already lost two boxers.

Rambling the 32-year old Colombian on all the judge’s scorecards going into the last round, Takyi displayed capability and spirit beyond his era to pound the two-time Olympian.

By reaching the semi-final stage, ‘Golden Ring Warrior’ is assured at least a bronze medal.

He began the quarter final bout with some difficulty as the veteran Colombian boxer, Ávila Ceiber came out blazing from all angles, and won the first two rounds.

Takyi came better in the second round and proved to be a real warrior in the third round to win on the cards of all the judges.

He cleverly used his reach and height advantage and pressured his older opponent who got tired and could not come forward as he did in the initial rounds.

According to Takyi, he listened to his corner, and really thank Coach Dr. Asare for helping him to reach the best four.

He promised to beat his next opponent in the ‘masters zone’.

A win against Duke Ragan of the USA on Tuesday at 2.30am in the Semi-Final will give him his first medal at his first Olympics.

Before coming to Japan, he defeated Africa’s number one in Dakar.

His victory sent people in his community in Atukpai going gay, chanting war and victory songs.

Meanwhile, Australia based Issa Issaka aka ‘Hard One Lee’ who discovered his talent called Yours Truly to wish him congratulations and success in his next fights.

By Sammy Heywood Okine, Tokyo

Courtesy GOC Communications / Ashfoam / Twellium

With the skipper of the Black Bombers out, all eyes and hope is on young intelligent Samuel Takyi also known as the ‘Golden Ring Warrior’.

He fights against Colombian southpaw boxer, Avila Segura David Ceiber in a Quarter final bout which promises to be very exciting.

Takyi, 20 has promised to pick a medal, after equaling the record of the late Alfred ‘Cobra’Kotey, to reach that stage since 1988.

Ceiber at 32 years will look as the experienced and older, but Takyi says he will never let an older boxer beat him, and he motivates himself as the best at 57kg.

Coach Asare describes him as the most talented and most skillful of the three Ghanaian boxers at Tokyo 2020, and he believes in him to make Ghana proud by entering the medal zone.

The fight comes up at the Edo Museum - Kokugikan Arena this Sunday morning at 11am.

By Sammy Heywood Okine, Tokyo

Courtesy GOC Communications / Ashfoam / Twellium

New President of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA), Mr. Abraham Neequaye believes Ghana can get six or seven world champions in the next four years.

The former CEO of Baby Jet Promotions and manager of Emmanuel Tagoe aka ‘Game Boy’ said Ghana is already blessed with talented and skillful boxers who need to be polished psychologically and presented to grab continental belts.

He said his plan is to make Ghana boxing attractive to corporate entities so that they will invest in  professional boxers and take their percentage after they win world titles.

As a former chairman of the Greater Accra Amateur Boxing Association, he promised to support juvenile and amateurs so that the nation can get worthy representatives at international events.

He commended the Black Bombers for their efforts in Japan where they are representing Ghana at the 2020 Olympic Games, and wished them success.

By Sammy Heywood Okine,

Ghana’s Olympic Team General Captain, Sulemanu Tetteh ended his mission at the Tokyo 2020 Games when he was out - classed by his Cuban opponent, Veitia Yosbany in the Flyweight division on Saturday.

All  the judges scored 5-0 in favour of the Cuban who showed great footwork, crafty dodging and accurate punching throughout the three rounds of boxing.

Tetteh went down twice and proved not to have an antidote to the stylish Cuban who totally dominated the fight.

Not even the waving of the Ghana flag by the GOC President, Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah could save him, because the Cuban supporters were loudly cheering their boxer to win.

Chef de Mission, Mr. Michael Aggrey expressed that Suleimanu Tetteh can not get the nod from the judges because he lost all the rounds.

The 28-year-old Ghanaian Prisons Officer who is based at Chorkor in Accra could not handle with the pace of the fast Cuban and was caught many times in the face.

In the final round, Tetteh who knew only a knock out may save him, just wasted punches in the air, giving the Cuban opportunity to display his footwork.

The two-time Ghanaian Olympian  told Yours Truly he did what he could do, and knew he can not win because Veitia Yosbany was exposed.

In 2010, he participated at the Youth World Amateur Boxing Championships and won Bronze.

At the 2011 World Amateur Boxing Championships he beat Birzhan Zhakypov and two others, before being stopped by Mongolian defending champion Pürevdorjiin Serdamba.

At the 2011 Pan American Games, he lost the final to local Joselito Velazquez.

He was at the 2012 Summer Olympics, where he beat Australian Billy Ward 26:4, then lost by a very close result to eventual winner Zou Shiming.

Veitia Yosbany also holds two notable wins over Naoya Inoue, the world's second best active boxer, pound for pound.

Suleimanu Tetteh, however thanked his fans and the GOC for believing in him and awarding him as flag bearer and captain of Team Ghana.

By Sammy Heywood Okine, Tokyo

Courtesy GOC Communications / Ashfoam / Twellium