The Coppin State University Department of Athletics held its annual Eagle Awards virtually on Monday afternoon, and Joseph Amoah of the track & field team and volleyball's Salma Gonzalez earned the Department's Presidential Eagle Awards.  Additionally, Anthony Tarke of the men's basketball team and Ashley Roman of the volleyball team received the University's Athletes of the Year awards.

CSU also recognized its Male and Female Newcomer of the Year Awards, which went to Nendah Tarke of the men's basketball team and volleyball's Chudear Tut, as well as its Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, which went to baseball's Devyan Dyal and Rebekka Hauri of the volleyball team.

Aside from the Departmental awards, each team announced their sport's Most Valuable Player, Unsung Hero and Most Improved Player awards.

Male President's Eagle: Joseph Amoah, Track & Field

Female President's Eagle: Salma Gonzalez, Volleyball

Male Athlete of the Year: Anthony Tarke, Basketball

Female Athlete of the Year: Ashley Roman, Volleyball

Male Newcomer of the Year: Nendah Tarke, Basketball

Female Newcomer of the Year: Chudear Tut, Volleyball

Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Devyan Dyal, Baseball

Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Rebekka Hauri, Volleyball

Baseball

MVP: Darren Hagan

Unsung Hero: Wellington Balsley

Most Improved: Mike Dorcean

Men's Basketball

MVP: Anthony Tarke

Unsung Hero: Nendah Tarke

Most Improved: DeJuan Clayton

Women's Basketball

MVP: Aliyah Lawson

Unsung Hero: Alexandria Hamilton

Most Improved: Jalynda Salley

Bowling

MVP: Kaylah Castillo

Unsung Hero: Jazzleen McRae

Most Improved: Sydney Tyler

Softball

MVP: Nia Bowe

Unsung Hero: Desiree Carrizosa

Most Improved: Maren Bernal

 Men's Tennis

MVP: Sergiu Medesan

Unsung Hero: Vansh Kapoor

Most Improved: Michael Michael

Women's Tennis

MVP: Iva Jankovic

Unsung Hero: Tinashe Gwaze

Most Improved: Christy Turner

Men's Track & Field (Indoor)

MVP: Amadou Ba

Unsung Hero: Abayie Opuni

Most Improved: Joseph Manu

Women's Track & Field (Indoor)

MVP: Shenelle Tomlinson

Unsung Hero: Cathryn Lane

Most Improved: Kamillah Monroque

Men's Track & Field (Outdoor)

MVP: Joseph Amoah

Unsung Hero: Abayie Opuni

Most Improved: Malik John

Women's Track & Field (Outdoor)

MVP: Latifa Ali

Unsung Hero: Shenelle Tomlinson

Most Improved: Kimani Alphonse

Volleyball

MVP: Not Awarded

Unsung Hero: DeMia Goddard

Most Improved: Aislynn Weaver & Kyndall Johnson

By: Steven Kramer

Kenya has been awarded the hosting rights for the final African qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympic Games, taking over from Madagascar.

Madagascar, which had been pencilled to host the event from May 18-23, is now on Covid lockdown.

Per the latest arrangements, the one-week qualifiers will now commence on May 24, this month, in the capital Nairobi.

Kenya last hosted the African Junior and Youth Weightlifting Championships from December 7 and 11, 2020, featuring 12 countries including Ghana.

This is the second time the Olympics African qualifiers had changed hands.

It is recalled that Mauritius was handed the rights to host the event in March last year, but was postponed thrice due to the rampaging rise in coronavirus cases.

Later, Madagascar was announced as new hosts only to be changed on Wednesday after a meeting of the Executive Board of the Weightlifting Federation of Africa (WFA).

Source - GOC Communications

Twellium Industries Company Ltd, producers of the popular Rush Energy Drink and Verna Mineral Water have on Tuesday May 11, 2021 agreed to sponsor the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) for two years with 200, 000ghc.

The good news was disclosed by Mr. Mohammed Kwatharani, General Manager after a fruitful meeting with the GOC President and some Executive board members at the company’s head office at Medea, near Accra.

He said as part of Twellium Industries’ corporate social responsibility, they hope to sponsor the GOC for a long time to invest in the youth of Ghana who have interest in sports, and would start with 100,000ghc per year (2021 and 2022).

He wished Team Ghana success at the Tokyo Olympic Games and advised the athletes to put Ghana on the map by winning medals.

The GOC President, Ben Nunoo Mensah revealed that three boxers have qualified to the biggest sports festival in the world alongside three athletes including the sensational 4x100m team, while weightlifters, swimmers, judokas and fencers are in line for qualifiers.

He was accompanied by chairman of the Marketing Committee of the GOC, Mr, Albert K. Frimpong and Chef de Mission for Tokyo 2020, Mr. Michael Aggrey, both executive board members of the GOC.

Present at the meeting was Mr. Ali Ajami, Chief Marketing Manager of Twellium Industries and Mr. Sammy Heywood Okine, Deputy Communications Director of the GOC.

Twellium Industrial Company was incorporated in Ghana in September 2013, to kick start the production of  franchised products. These include Rush Energy drink, Original American Cola, Planet Range, Bubble Up lemon lime and the flagship product, Verna Mineral Water. The company also produces a range of tasty biscuits.

Source - GOC Communications

 Board Chairman and Chief Executive, Herbert Mensah of Ghana Rugby has been suspended indefinitely for abuse of his office.

Mr James Nunoo, who is the Board Member and Vice President has been appointed as acting President and board chairman.

A special general meeting is expected to be held on June 8 2021 when a new board and President will be elected.

The Ghana Rugby Players Association (GRUPA) last month sent a nine-paragraph petition to the board, asking for Mensah’s removal for gross abuse of his office.

Mr Mensah, who is a former Asante Kotoko Board Chairman was accused of conflict of interest, stifling players from playing abroad, physically assaulting players and coaches, creating and funding the formation of rival players’ association among others.

He has been President of Ghana Rugby ever since he independently revived the sport more than ten years ago.

See the suspension letter below:

The President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah has led a high-level delegation of Sports Federation heads and GOC board members to meet His Excellency President Akufo-Addo.

The meeting came off at the Jubilee House on Wednesday 5th May 2021 with a number of key issues discussed.

Amongst them, was the assurance by President Akufo-Addo that the government will support the current GOC to achieve its targets and developmental goals.

The Minister for Youth and Sports Hon. Mustapha Ussif accompanied the delegation, along with Mr. Mohamed Sahnoon the Secretary-General of the GOC, and Mr. Mike Aggrey, who is the Tokyo CDM and Board Member of the GOC.

President Akufo-Addo took the opportunity to ask the Minister for Youth and Sports to ensure that that incentive such as tax reliefs and recognition of corporate support be given to the GOC.

He also charged the Minister for Youth and Sports to, as early as possible, come up with modalities and institutionalize a biennial Inter-State Agencies Sports Competition as suggested by the GOC.

The Minister was tasked by President Akufo-Addo to, within the next six months, to draft plans and policies that will help bridge the funding gap between what the sports industry in Ghana needs and what is available at the Sports Ministry.

The inclusion of more females on the boards of various sports associations was addressed.

Mr. Nunoo Mensah congratulated President Akufo-Addo on his re-election for another four-year term in office before proceeding to introduce the newly elected members of the Ghana Olympic Committee who accompanied the GOC President; including the President of Ghana Weightlifting and Deputy Secretary-General Hon Jerry Shaib, Mr. Fred Acheampong GOC Treasurer and Mr. Abdul Hayye Yartey the Chairman of the GOC Communications Sub Committee.

President Akufo-Addo thanked the GOC President and his entourage whilst also wishing them well following their recent election into offices of competence.

By GOC Communications

MTN Ghana has surprised over 400 women across the country as part of activities to mark this year’s Mothers’ Day celebrations.

The selected mothers received gifts items such as digital shopping vouchers from Melcom, Jumia, and Vlisco, fuel coupons, electronic gadgets among others. The gesture is to re-affirm MTN’s commitment to recognizing and rewarding its cherished customers.

Commenting on the presentation, the Senior Manager for Consumer Marketing at MTN Ghana, Mrs. Nana Asantewaa Amegashie said, “the celebration of this year’s Mother’s Day served as another opportunity for MTN Ghana to show deep appreciation to our customers for their loyalty to the brand. We all know how Mothers have worked hard and defiled all odds in nurturing the human capital which has contributed to making society a better place for all of us.”

“It has been 25 years of brightening lives and customer satisfaction is our number one priority therefore we remain resolute in ensuring our customers feel appreciated especially on this day as the World celebrates mothers. We use this occasion to thank all mothers for being a solid rock behind the brand over the years”, she added.

Madam Joyce Dongotey-Padi Akumaa, (known in public life as Akumaa Mama Zimbi) a beneficiary of the MTN Mothers’ day presentation expressed her immense gratitude to MTN. She was thrilled and said she is proud to be on the MTN network. She used the occasion to wish all mothers a happy celebration and also admonished everyone to ‘mask up’ because COVID-19 is real.

Celebration of Mothers’ Day is one of the many ways MTN Ghana celebrates its cherished customers.  The month of June will present a fine opportunity for Fathers to be celebrated on Fathers’ Day.

Mother’s Day is a day set aside globally to celebrate and honor mothers, motherhood and maternal bonds. In our part of the world, it is celebrated in various ways, characterized mainly by family reunions, sharing of gifts and renewing of bonds. It is but one of many occasions MTN Ghana uses to reward and brighten the lives of its customers.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Qualification And Related Information

The qualification season is still ongoing for almost all sporting disciplines including Para Powerlifting, Wheelchair Tennis, Blind Judo etc...

Below is breakdown of progress so far (Automatic Qualification, Wildcards, Bipartite)

AUTOMATIC QUALIFICATION

1. Para Athletics – Two (2) athletes have made the qualification standard. Automatic Qualification period within which athletes are selected based on the world ranking) period for Para Athletics ended on April 1 2021. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has confirmed the following:
2. After the regular qualification season, NPC-Ghana did not get any slot allocation with regards to Qualification Ranking or Marathon Qualification Ranking.
3. The NPC-Ghana however got One (1) slot with regards to Representation Allocation.
4. The Representation Allocation slot is awarded to the NPC-Ghana and can be used for any male Para Athletics athlete as long as the athlete is eligible.
5. As of now, the NPC-Ghana has Two (2) eligible male Para Athletics athletes namely; Nkegbe Botsyo (T54 - 100m) and Yusif Amadu (T42 - High Jump).
6. The Representation Allocation slot as awarded to the NPC- Ghana is not transferable to another gender aside male gender.
7. Due to Covid-19, the planned Paris 2021 Para Athletics Grand Prix that athletes were training for has been canceled by the organizers. This left the only qualification competition that the NPC-Ghana planned to send athletes to be Marrakech - Morocco in June.

This competition has also been canceled as of May 3 2021 as informed by the Mrooccan Paralympic Committee. This means for the sport of Para Athletics, there is no other high pro‑le competition left for athletes as per our entries. National Paralympic Committee of Ghana.

TOKYO 2020 PARALYMPIC GAMES QUALIFICATION AND RELATED INFORMATION

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games High Standard Qualification season will end on June 6 2021.

On June 23 2021, the IPC through the World Para Athletics (WPA) will inform the NPC-Ghana if we have gained any slot in that sector.

One (1) Ghanaian athlete by name Botsyo Nkegbe has made the High Standard Qualification mark with a time of 14.22 seconds in the T54 100m race as against the standard of 14.31 seconds.

The High Standard Qualification slots will be allocated to NPCs and/or individual athletes after all NPCs have confirmed the usage of the various Qualification Ranking, Marathon Qualification Ranking and Representation Allocation slots by May 14 2021 and the remaining slots are assessed by the WPA.

The Representation Allocation slot awarded to the NPC-Ghana can be used at its own discretion but with advise from the Technical bench.

We are still awaiting the opening of the Bipartite Commission application which we hope will give the chance to have a female athlete competing at the Games in Para Athletics.

Bipartite applications are yet to be opened for Para Powerlifting and Para Cycling in the coming month.

The planned participation in the Wheelchair Tennis competition in Portugal has been called o due to challenges with securing entry visas for the team.

The Blind Judo team is still in preparation to be able to attend their competition in June for a chance at gaining a slot to the Games.

We entreat all to reach to the NPC-Ghana with specific questions for answers.

PETER ADJEI

SECRETARY GENERAL

An international games and competitions committee has been inaugurated by the Minister for Youth & Sports, Hon. Mustapha  Ussif on Monday 10th May, 2021 at the conference room of the Ministry.

The committee has been formed to oversee the management and preparation of the national  teams towards international competitions.

The ten member committee made up of  experienced officers selected from state institutions are to bring their expertise on board in the management of international events.

In his brief remarks, the Hon. Minister entreated members of the committee to do their best by providing good counsel to him as far as Ghana's participation in international games are concerned. 

He noted that members have clearly exhibited a great sense of integrity and high esteem and therefore deserved to serve with their expertise to take decisions that is best for mother Ghana.

According to the Hon. Minister, the next international games for Ghana is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and was therefore imperative to prepare adequately to participate in the global event.

The Chairman of the Committee, the Chief Director of the Ministry, Alhaji Hafiz Adam expressed gratitude to the Minister on behalf of the members of the committee  for having confidence in them.              

He anticipated that, the Committee will do a good job regarding the commitment of members by demonstrating punctuality even at the first meeting.         

He said their responsibility is to advice the Minister on policy direction on matters of international competitions adding that they will not disappoint him but will help to revive sports and sporting activities in the international arena.                             

The members include prof. Peter Twumasi, National Sports Authority, Worwornyo Agyeman, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mohammed Sahnoon Esq, Ghana Olympic Committee, Peter Adjei, National Paralympic Committee, Lieutenant Colonel Fank Kwesi Agyeman, National Security Council Secretariat, Jeffery Manzan Owusu, National Sports Authority, Salisu Omaru. National Sports Authority, Fiifi Abassah, State Protocol and Emmanuel Oteng, Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Source - MYS

Lawrence Nyanyo Nmai, two times SWAG Kickboxer of the year, 2011 and 2017 and WBC Muay Thai Champion who fights in Ghana on Saturday at the Labadi Beach Hotel has disclosed that he loves to fight to entertain and liberate people.

According to Nmai, son of the founder of the La Pleasure Beach, he loves sports and chose martial arts and boxing out of a lot that he can do.

He is very good in football,  tennis , table tennis, volleyball, basketball and hockey, but decided to be in the ring and punch or kick.

His exploits has taken him to many places and landed in Switzerland where he coaches with passion and high technical skills.

Ghana’s, Lawrence Nyanyo Nmai defeated German’s Daniel Dorrer to win the vacant World Mixed Martial Arts title, K-1 Thai Boxing in 2018.

 “Some people keep on wondering why am still in  Muay Thai, it is because we love the arts /sports Muay Thai, and we fought for the love of the sports, we sacrifice ourselves to be a real fighter and that’s the way we want to be, it’s not for money, it’s a passion and respect that we have in Muay Thai and Martial Arts.

“Thank you all for your understanding and respect. just a few days to our fight is coming on in Accra, my home town and I promise a good show for my people” he said.

Lawrence Nyanyo Nmai takes on Emmanuel Shija from Tanzania for the WBC Muay Thai Africa Championship Title on Saturday 15th May, 2021 at the Labadi Beach Hotel and wants to win and dedicate the victory to his father and all freedom fighters in Africa.

His record is now 36 fights with 31 wins (20KOs) . His opponent has 25 wins and 18 KOs.

Lawrence Nmai, believes he will win the fight easily as he has trained very hard just like his female fighters on the bill.

The event which is a Don’s Promotion Bill in collaboration with GH-1 will see various divisional fights like:

WBO Interim World Lightweight Championship (Females):

• Natacha De Almeida (Swizz) VS Najma Isike (Tanzania)

Two bout of Super Bantamweight Division between:

• Ekow Wilson VS Raymond Commey
• John Amuzu VS Albert Commey

Middleweight Contest

• Obodai Sai (Ghana) VS Robert Kamya (Tanzania)

WBC Muay Thai Africa Championship Title (Main Bout/Fight)

The Sport, Muay Thai which is also known as ‘Thai Boxing’ or ‘Art of Eight Limbs’ is a martial art and combat sport which involves the stand-up striking and techniques using fists, elbows, knees and shins.

• Lawrence Nyanyo Nmai (Ghana) VS Emmanuel Shija (Tanzania)

Rates for the event are 150ghc for VIP/Ringside and 50ghc for Regular.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

The Future of Ghana Athletics is very important like the past.

Ghana is 64 years after independence, but the Ghana Athletics has no museum for her past Athletes.

There is nothing to show that formerly Ghana athletes performed better than

At least people will want to go there and see the first Ghanaian Athlete both male and female, the trophies and medals won, our first spike, kits the first male and female wore to qualify for the Olympics, our first running kits, our past CEO's, coaches pictures, and many more.

This will be a tourist attraction and generate income for the Ghana Athletics Association, the National Sports Authority and Ghana Olympic Committee  to use for other purposes.

With most of Ghana’s athletes training and competing in the USA and other places, at least there must be something to show at home.

That monument is the Athletics Museum. It is indeed a laudable idea that must be considered by the sports authorities.

Less Think To Be Self Reliant Than To Be Depend On Others.

When you come and you go no one remembers you again.

By Sammy Heywood Okine