Sports
Better times ahead for Stacey
Harry Stacey
“I’m not too mad at the performance, although it wasn’t my best. It’s been a learning experience and definitely building blocks for the future.”
The above was the reaction from one of Ghana’s two representatives in swimming at the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Harry Stacey.
As a debutant and relatively a new face as far as swimming was concerned in Ghana, not much was required of him.
So when he lined up in the 100m Men Freestyle event in Heat 4, expectation was modest.
Stacey finished seventh with a time of 51.12 seconds, failing to qualify to the semifinals of the event.
As if that was not enough, the former Marlins Swim Club member’s time could notbetter his national record time of 50.57 seconds over the distance.
Naturally, the performance and disappointing outcome appears to have gone with the wind because ‘Fellow’ Ghanaians are becoming indifferent towards the country’s contingents at such sports festivals.
As a beneficiary of one of the two wild cards granted by World Aquatics, FINA, following Ghana’s showing in swimming at the Accra 2023 Africa Games, Stacey was granted an opportunity to more or less dine with the swimming greats.
He represented no threat to any of the medals at stake because his time comes nowhere near the properly qualified swimmers.
As a young lad coming up, he and Ghana should be grateful for the opportunity and not be so shattered about his performance.
Stacey must be guided by the second part of the quote attributed to him that, “It’s been a learning experience and definitely building blocks for the future.”
That perfectly describes his situation, especially when featuring in an event like swimming, dominated by countries such as the USA, Australia, South Africa and others with competitive advantage.
Instead of crying over spilt milk, Stacey should remain focused on improving his performances to record better times. His dream is very possible, but will take a lot of time, sacrifice and dedication to reach there.
The fact that swimming is yet to chalk any major feat as far as international championships are concerned does not mean that no athlete from Ghana can gain global recognition.
Under our own eyes and noses, South Sudan, a country with a dog’s chance in the world of sport is being discussed on major platforms because of the performance exhibited by its basketball team, the Bright Stars.
They convincingly defeated Puerto Rico in the basketball event at the ongoing Games. Prior to that, they faced almighty USA in a preparatory game before the Games kicked off, losing by just a basket.
Clearly, that is an indication that there could be light at the end of the tunnel for the young and upcoming Stacey who would ride at the back of this opportunity to take the swimming world by storm.
By Andrew Nortey
The battle for supremacy in the Ghana Premier League will continue this weekend with both Medeama SC and Bibiani Gold Stars continuing their close battle for the title.
Defending champions, Bibiani Gold Stars, are breathing down heavily on the neck of the leaders Medeama SC as they aim to hunt down the Premier League leaders from the top.
Fresh from their 2-1 home victory over in-form Hearts of Oak, which saw them cut the lead at the top to just one, Gold Stars will travel to the Bono Region, precisely the Wenchi Sports Complex, to test their mettle against relegation candidate, Young Apostles.
Gold Stars are on a four-game winning streak, having blown apart Swedru All Blacks, Basake Holy Stars, Heart of Lions and Hearts of Oak, and are gunning to add Apostles to their list of casualties tomorrow.
Apostles, the last but one team on the log, have vowed to escape the drop, indicating their resolve to wrest a point or more in the game.
Medeama SC returns to their fortress, the TnA Stadium, to host Hohoe United in a tricky tie.
Head coach of Medeama SC, Tanko Ibrahim, believes they are still on course to win the title despite the threat from Gold Stars.
Vision FC will look to continue their strong home form when they welcome relegation-threatened Berekum Chelsea to the Nii Adjei Kraku Sports Complex in Tema New Town today with the Nsenkyire Sports Arena in Samreboi, also hosting the Samartex FC versus Dreams FC clash today.
In other games, the University of Ghana Stadium will play host to the Hearts of Oak versus Basake Holy Stars game; Asante Kotoko will trek to the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale to face Karela United FC; Aduana FC will seek to add to the woes of bottom club, Eleven Wonders, at the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park with Heart of Lions seeking a return to winning ways when they host Swedru All Blacks at the Kpando Stadium.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
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The battle for supremacy in the Ghana Premier League will continue this weekend with both Medeama SC and Bibiani Gold Stars maintaining their close contest for the title.
Defending champions, Bibiani Gold Stars, are breathing down heavily on the leaders Medeama SC as they aim to hunt down the Premier League leaders from the top.
Fresh from their 2-1 home victory over in-form Hearts of Oak, which saw them cut the lead at the top to just one point, Gold Stars will travel to the Bono Region, precisely the Wenchi Sports Complex, to test their mettle against relegation candidates, Young Apostles.
Gold Stars are on a four-game winning streak, having defeated Swedru All Blacks, Basake Holy Stars, Heart of Lions, and Hearts of Oak. They are gunning to add Apostles to their list of casualties tomorrow.
Apostles, the second-last team on the log, have vowed to escape the drop, indicating their resolve to wrest a point or more in the game.
Medeama SC returns to their fortress, the TnA Stadium, to host Hohoe United in what promises to be a tricky tie. Head coach Tanko Ibrahim believes they are still on course to win the title despite the threat from Gold Stars.
Other Premier League Fixtures:
- Vision FC will look to continue their strong home form when they welcome relegation-threatened Berekum Chelsea to the Nii Adjei Kraku Sports Complex in Tema New Town.
- The Nsenkyire Sports Arena in Samreboi will host the Samartex FC vs Dreams FC clash.
- University of Ghana Stadium will play host to Hearts of Oak vs Basake Holy Stars.
- Asante Kotoko will trek to the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale to face Karela United FC.
- Aduana FC will seek to add to the woes of bottom club Eleven Wonders at the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park.
- Heart of Lions will aim for a return to winning ways when they host Swedru All Blacks at the Kpando Stadium.
- By Raymond Ackumey
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