Akwasi Frimpong is having a great week in Europe representing Ghana and Africa on one of the most challenging bobsleigh and skeleton ice tracks in the world.

Frimpong made the finals today at the first International Bobsleigh and skeleton Federation(IBSF) Inter Continental Cup race in Altenberg, Germany.

Frimpong clocked a time of 59.89 seconds in the first heat and a time of 60.16 seconds in the second heat to finish 19th overall.

Frimpong finished 24th earlier this week during the IBSF Europa Cup race after clocking a time of 63 seconds in training and 60.99 seconds during the competition.

“I have grown a lot this week as a slider,” Akwasi said.

“My wife and I talked about the Altenberg ice track and if it was smart for me to come here instead of staying in North America this season and train on tracks I already know. It was a tough decision mostly because of safety. I took on the the challenge to come and learn one of the toughest tracks in the world and I’m glad I did with the support of my pregnant wife and my 3-year-old Ashanti who I miss a lot while on tour away from home.

"I’m also very grateful for the sliding community helping me out and a special big thank you to Team Russia for working with me this season.

"I see myself growing in the sport and that’s fun. I want to show that people from Africa and warm countries can also become good winter athletes. It has been difficult fighting through knee and achilles injuries and also a bad crash a couple days ago. But the goal this season is about me developing my sliding skills and that plan is working out well.

“I want to thank my partners Ghana NatIonal Gas Company, Forever Living, Murdock Hyundai and the Ghana Olympic Committee via a scholarship with IOC have all been supporting me despite the pandemic and I’m forever grateful. Without their support I wouldn’t be able to learn and progress in our challenging sport.

"The ultimate goal is to qualify a spot for Ghana and Africa in Beijing 2022. It’s not going to be easy. But if it was easy, everyone would be going headfirst in a minus-ten degrees Celsius".

Source: Pulse Ghana

…Who Is Who in International Light Heavyweight Showdown?

After not securing the much publicized fight Ghana’s Yarkor Chavez Annang due to weight differences and other issues pertaining to chieftaincy on the part of the new enstooled queen, hard-hitting Swiss female boxer Diana Tursi  has been paired against American Monika Harrison in an international Light Heavyweight clash.

According to the coach of Diana Tursi, Lawrence Nmai war is brewing both camps as they have agreed to the clash, and he just hopes the bout will come on. “The financial terms can be agreed  in the next few days light heavyweight showdown. We are going to win by KO” he said.

Monika Harrison has fought four times, won twice, lost one and drawn one,while Diana Tursi is looking for her first big fight.

Diana Tursi  (Switzerland) versus Monika Harrison (USA) which is schedules for March 26, 2020 in the USA pending final confirmation will be a great fight as Coach Nmai believes his boxer is out to rule the world in her weight class.

Meanwhile another top Switzerland female boxer Natasha Almeida also under the tutelage of Ghanaian trainer Lawrence Nyanyo Nmai is set to make her pro boxing debut against Carly Mackenzie on 27th February in Prague, Czech.

More details coming up...

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Former Caf President Issa Hayatou was on Friday decorated Honorary President of the organization at a colourful ceremony in Yaounde in his native Cameroon.

Acting Caf President Constant Omari presented a plaque and symbolic official Caf match ball to the iconic leader in the presence of FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the star-studded event.

Members of the Caf Executive Committee, several FA Presidents and Cameroon Government officials were also in attendance when the longest-serving leader in Caf history was festooned.

The event took place on the eve of the opening of African Nations Championship (CHAN), the tournament designed exclusively for home-based players, and which will be played in the central African country from 16 January to 7 February 2021.

The decision to confer the Honorary President title on Hayatou was proposed by the Caf Executive Committee at its meeting last month, and was unanimously approved by the Caf General Assembly.

The Acting Caf President lauded the role of the 74-year-old, who led the continent’s football governing body from 1988 to 2017, towards the development of the game in Africa.

“For a long time at Caf, we have been thinking and preparing this event that is dedicated to you,” Omari said.

“On behalf of the Caf Executive Committee, Senior Management members, Staff, and till the last servant of African football, and in the presence of Fifa President [Gianni Infantino], who elevated you to the rank of Honorary Vice President of FIFA, I bestow on you title of Honorary President of Caf.

“I reassure you of the friendship, gratitude, permanent thanks, and the emotion of the great African football family for this event.

“From now and forever, you will be our Guide, and our doyen, elder brother, but above all our Honorary President,” he added.

Fifa President Infantino said: “He [Hayatou] continues to contribute to football development. He has stressed on values like Passion, Unity, Solidarity”.

Flanked by close family members and friends, an emotion-filled Hayatou was full of gratitude for the honour bestowed on him in recognition of his contribution to the development and promotion of African football.

“It is with deep gratitude that I am here. I am happy to be among you here. I have a lot of memories with you.

“The hard reality of life is that we have this social distancing, so let’s put our priorities and principles intact. Let’s unite and protect each other.

“I am telling you goodbye, but I assure you I will remain available. Together, let’s celebrate this African Nations Championship (CHAN) together,” Hayatou concluded.

Hayatou started his journey in football administration in his youthful days when he was named as the General Secretary of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) at the age of 28.

Within two years he took charge as FECAFOOT President before successfully contesting for CAF elections to become its president in 1988.

In his 28-year reign as the leader of Africa’s football body, Hayatou championed the continent’s first hosting of the World Cup which was successfully staged in South Africa in 2010.

He has also been praised for the setting up for various youth tournaments in Africa including the youth tournaments for U-17, U-20 and U-23 which accelerated the development of the game. This, many believe, helped countries like Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon to win global competitions like the Fifa U-17 World Cup, Fifa U-20 World Cup and the Olympic Games.

The expansion of the Africa Cup of Nations, the creation of the CHAN competition as well as futsal and beach soccer tournaments are parts of his achievements. Women’s football development, as well as the creditable performances of Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal and Ghana at the Fifa World Cup tournaments, are also part of Hayatou’s accomplishments.

By CGTN Africa

World rated bantamweight boxer, Duke Micah who lost the opportunity to become a world champion when he was knocked out by Philipino, Reid John Casimero last year has returned to the James Town based Bronx Gym, managed by Coach Carl Lokko.

In an exclusive chat with Micah, he said boxing has taught him many things in life, and he regrets taking some decisions in the past which did not help him.

He advised young boxers not to rush into big fights, but train well and prepare adequately before engaging in championships.

He also appealed to the government to invest in boxing by supporting amateur boxing because they fight for the nation and represent Ghana at international games like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

He said he has apologized to his best trainer, Carl Lokko over whatever occurred in the past and they are now together hoping for a better future.

Micah who has lost only once in his career promised to come back, and go for another shot at the world title.

“I am quite young, I know I can make it better and bigger in the future, I hope to make amends and train harder to become a world champion” he told Yours Truly.

He also said the Bronx Gym is capable of producing more champions for Ghana, as they posses some rising stars like. He commended the two national champions, Felix Ajom (super featherweight) and John Laryea (featherweight) and urged them to be focused and obey the instructions of the coaches always.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Ghana’s Wasiru Mohammed is set to shine as a  professional boxer and improve upon  the WBO Global super-bantamweight title which he has held since 2019.

As of October 2020, he was ranked as the world's sixth best super-bantamweight by the WBO, but he has sadly dropped one step down, due to lack of bouts, and his managers say things will change and the coming years will see the best of the amazing fighter.

Also called ‘Gyatabi’ he made his professional debut on 29 April 2017, defeating Isaac Mensah by fourth-round technical knockout (TKO) in Accra. After firing off seven wins in less than a year, including six by stoppage, he received his first title shot on 12 May 2018, and scored a first-round knockout (KO) of veteran Kamarudeen Boyefio for the vacant Ghanaian super bantamweight title. Two months later he knocked out another experienced fighter in Raymond Commey to retain his belt.

On 13 October 2018, Mohammed faced undefeated prospect Isaac Sackey for his WBO Africa super bantamweight title. In the second round, Sackey held onto him excessively until Mohammed finally threw him off in the closing seconds, and they both threw multiple punches after the bell. Less than a minute into the next round, Mohammed floored the defending champion with a hard right. He rose to his feet quickly but referee Adorn Bertin waved off the fight without a mandatory eight count. Sackey's team rushed into the ring to confront Bertin, after which chaos erupted inside the Bukom Boxing Arena and the event promptly ended without an official decision.

The fight spilled outside the ring as chairs were thrown and used as weapons, with one of them striking Bertin. The Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) submitted video evidence to the police and later handed out suspensions to Sackey's trainer and two cornermen.Sackey's team filed an appeal with the WBO to protest the stoppage, but they officially recognized Mohammed as champion at a ceremony in November.

On 29 June 2019, Mohammed defeated Tanzanian rival Loren Japhet by 11th-round TKO to win the WBO Global super bantamweight title. In his first title defense on 31 January 2020, he knocked out John Amuzu of Benin with a brutal barrage of punches in the fourth round that sent him to the hospital. The victory moved him into the top ten of the WBO rankings for the first time.

WBO Top Super bantamweight Rankings

Stephen Fulton (United States) - 18-0-0.

Michael Conlan (Ireland) - 14-0-0.

Daniel Roman (United States) - 28-3-1.

Thomas Ward (United Kingdom) - 29-0-1.

Carlos Castro (United States) - 26-0-0.

Wasiru Mohammed (Ghana) - 12-0-0.

Ricardo Franco (Mexico) - 25-3-0

From Sammy Heywood Okine

Naa Anyema Mckorley proved that she has landed as the new queen of Ghana Tennis when she won the 2021 Ladies Challenger Series which ended at the Accra Tennis Center on Saturday.

She beat Annette Naa Lamoikor Cruickshank 6-3,5-7,7-5 in an exciting final and was crown queen of the court with a royal presentation.

Her fans, family mum and junior sister, Naa Shika who also reached the Semi Final were very happy with the feat.

The Mckorley sisters have taken Ghana Tennis by storm and they are really demonstrating what investment means and can do.

Yours Truly joins Tennis fans and enthusiasts to commend Naa Anyema for her victory. We pray that she trains hard to become queen of African Tennis as well, and go on to the world stage.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrived in Yaounde on Friday morning ahead of start of the Total African Nations Championship (CHAN), Cameroon 2020.

Interim CAF President Constant Omari met Infantino on arrival at the Nsimalem International Airport ahead of Saturday’s start of the tournament for home-based players in Africa.

Omari was accompanied by Cameroon Football Federation President Seydou Mbombo Njoya and Africa football legend Samuel Eto’o as they met Infantino on his first visit to the Central African country.

Infantino is expected to attend Friday’s CAF Executive Committee meeting before witnessing the event to crown Issa Hayatou as the honorary President of CAF.

The FIFA President will be present at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde for the opening CHAN match between Cameroon and Zimbabwe.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

Pretty Amanda Mills, a playmaker of Gnana Immigration Ladies says she expects an eventful Women’s Premier League (WPL).

Speaking to Yours Truly, the stylish offensive Midfielder said all the teams have prepared at the beginning, and no one should give excuses at the end.

She expressed that Immigration Ladies have prepared well and they are going to take every match serious.

She thanked her coaches and management as well as the Women’s Premier League Board and the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

Mostly called Mandy Mills, she also commended the media and the YEA for supporting the players with the relief stipend which has solved many of the financial problems of female footballers.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The Chief Executive Officer for Dons Boxing Promotion, Michael Nii Yarboi Annan, has called for the establishment of a television station that would solely telecast boxing bouts in the country.

Mr. Annan said this is the only way Ghana can develop the game and put the nation on the world map again through boxing.

The CEO made the call in an interview with Onua TV’s ‘Agro Fie’ while discussing boxing development in Ghana.

“It is possible we will need a TV backing. We will have to set up our own TV station that will telecast our bouts and we will do that to promote boxing in the country”, he explained.

Support from GBA

Mr. Yarboi Annan said the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) is not supporting promoters and boxing in the country and that is affecting them.

“As for the Boxing Authority, the least said about them, the better. I have not seen what they are doing in boxing. I have never seen them do anything for boxing in the country”.

COVID-19

The promoter said the Coronavirus affected boxing in the country but they are now in the process of reviving the game.

“Covid 19 crippled boxing but we are putting things together. We have bouts in January and February bout”.

Upcoming bout

Commenting on how he is helping in reviving the crippled game, Mr. Annan said his promotion is coming out with the maiden edition after the COVID-19 in the months of January and February.

Ghana’s Obadai Sai is set to mount the ring for the first time since his debacle split decision draw with Mardochee Kuvesa Katembo, the Congolese native who is based in South Africa in August 2019.

Dons Boxing Promotions is ready to set the tone for the New Year 2021 in a highly packed triple header Commonwealth eliminators on Saturday, January 22 at the Seconds Out Boxing Gymnaseum in Accra-Ghana.

Huge charges at Bukom Boxing Arena

Asked why he selected the Seconds Out Boxing Gymnaseum instead of Bukom Square Arena in Accra, Mr. Annan told the Host, Alfred Takyi Mensah that the charges at that venue are abnormal.

He explained that he hosted a bout at the venue once and he has decided not to do the same again because of the charges.

Mr. Annan explained that he paid an amount of GH¢20, 000 for the night bout but the services that were provided were below expectations.

Mr. Annan explained that he paid an amount of GH¢20, 000 for the night bout but the services that were provided were below expectations.

The Promoter noted that he paid this huge amount but he had to provide his own security which added to the cost and that is why he has decided not to patronize the Arena again.

3News

Kenya is looking to send more boxers to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics Games as the team intensifies its preparations ahead of the qualification round in Paris in June.

The boxing team, popularly known as the “Hit Squad”, is currently undergoing training in Nairobi with an aim of getting more slots compared to the three the country secured in the 2016 Rio Games.

In Rio, welterweight Rayton Okwiri, flyweight Peter Mungai Warui, and bantamweight Benson Gicharu were Kenya’s representatives and were eliminated in the qualification rounds.

So far only two boxers have secured tickets to the Tokyo Games – Nick Okoth, 37, and Christine Ongare, 26, both were victorious at the continental qualifications in Dakar, Senegal last year.

The country will be sending more boxers to battle it out in Paris where 35 spots will be up for grabs.

Welterweight boxers Boniface Mogunde and Elizabeth Akinyi hope the advanced training the team is undergoing will increase their chances of qualification.

“Previously we were doing a lot of training to an extent we could even overtrain which in the long run was in some way affecting our fitness,” said Mugande in a statement released by the National Olympics Committee on Thursday.

Akinyi, a semifinal loser in Senegal, said she is confident that the changing of her training program will enable her to get desirable results in France.

“There have been changes in our training because, in the past, I would just practice randomly, but now we train specifically for the competition ahead,” she added. Enditem,

By xinhuanet.com