Black Queens head coach Kim Lars Björkegren has showered praise on his captain, describing her as his extra arm on and off the pitch after Ghana’s qualification to the quarterfinals of the TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The Swedish coach says the captain’s leadership has been crucial to the team’s progress in the tournament, both for her communication with the players and her example on the field.

“She means so much. She’s like the extra arm for me, really helpful. Sometimes I don’t need to say too much. She can do it for me. And that’s the kind of captain that you want,” Björkegren said.

Björkegren reserved special praise for her work rate and mentality during games, insisting her fighting spirit has become infectious within the Black Queens squad.

“But also, I mean, the most important is how she’s leading on the pitch with her fighting spirit. I mean, she’s brutal. I mean, she really puts her body there. And she’s a real fighter.”

The coach added that the captain commands the respect of the entire dressing room, which was evident when she was named Player of the Match in one of Ghana’s group games.

“And the way she’s playing, of course, everybody needs to respect her and everybody does. And as you said, you can see when she is the player of the match that everybody is so happy for her because it’s so well deserved,” he concluded.

Ghana is through to the quarterfinals of the WAFCON and is now one win away from securing qualification to the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Just a few years ago, Zinabu Issah’s life revolved around her small trading business, and competing in sports was not on her mind.

Today, the Ghanaian para-athlete stands proudly as a Commonwealth Games silver medalist, proving that determination, hard work and perseverance can transform lives in unimaginable ways.

Issah, who competes in the shot put, javelin and discus events, recalls how her journey began unexpectedly when Coach Emmanuel Sowah Anum approached her and encouraged her to try para-sports.

“I had no intention of doing any sport. I was a petty trader and one day my coach approached me and told me to take up the sport. When he first said it, I laughed because sports was not my thing.

“But he was persistent and eventually convinced me to take up the sport,” she told GNA Sports in an interview.

According to Zinabu, her decision was met with resistance from some family members and friends who questioned why a woman living with a disability would pursue field events.

She faced a lot of stereotypes and criticism, which could easily have discouraged her, but she decided to stay focused on achieving success.

“He (Coach) told me he had seen something in me and believed I could excel in the sport,” she said while expressing gratitude to her coach.

“I want to thank God first of all and also thank my coach for believing in me,” she added.

Her coach, Emmanuel Sowah in an interview, revealed that he spotted Zinabu in Kumasi in 2014 and admitted that life was very difficult for her at the time.

“I saw something in her. I knew I could make her a better field athlete despite her disability, and I personally bought her first training kit. Over the past years, she has developed impressively,” he said.

Coach Sowah said he believes Zinabu can achieve even more and hopes she can step up at the next Paralympic Games, which he is confident she will qualify for.

The road from being a trader to competing in shot put, discus and javelin has been remarkable.

Zinabu has featured in numerous international tournaments, most notably winning gold at the 2024 Paralympic Games Qualifiers Grand Prix in Marrakech, Morocco.

The success earned her recognition, including an award at the 9th Women in Sports Association (WISA) Awards, a moment she says significantly boosted her confidence and motivation.

Her latest achievement came at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where she delivered a season-best throw of 8.65 metres to secure silver in the women’s F57 shot put.

That was Ghana’s first medal of the Games and, according to Zinabu, the victory has changed perceptions within her family.

“Ever since my winning moment at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, my family have praised my exploits, and I am excited about that.

“My junior sister, who in the past told me to stop and promised to give me money to start a new business, is today excited about my achievement,” she said.

With her sights now firmly set on the 2028 Paralympic Games, Zinabu is determined to continue breaking barriers.

“I am preparing for the Paralympics, and I am optimistic of qualification. My target is to go for the gold medal,” she said.

For Zinabu, the journey from being a petty trader to a Commonwealth Games medalist is more than a personal triumph is a story of resilience, belief and the power of giving opportunity a chance. –GNA