Sports
K-Balm National Armwrestling Championship gets boost from Verna, Swaggers, Morgan’s and others
The much anticipated K-Balm National Armwrestling Open Championship scheduled for Saturday in Accra has received timely boast from Verna Mineral Water from Twellium Industries, Charcoal Toothpaste from Royal Dach, Swaggers Restaurant, and WADADA Ventures.
The Ghana Armwrestlimg Federation (GAF) has called on all Ghanaian athletes and persons interested in armwrestling to present themselves to represent Ghana at local and international competitions.
The K-Balm National Armwrestling championship will be held on Saturday, May 20 at the Wesley Grammar School located at Dansoman in Accra.
The competition will be used as an avenue to select athletes for the National Armwrestling Team, Golden Arms, as the country readies to host the rest of Africa for the 12th edition of the Africa Armwrestling Championship to be held in Ghana as well as the 2024 Africa Games also to be held in Ghana.
Mr Robert Appiah Ameyaw, Competitions Director at the Ghana Armwrestling Federation (GAF), explained that the management of GAF settled on a school as the venue because of the drive to get more youth engaged in the sport.
“As we push the youth agenda of getting more youth and get more students to play the sport, especially with our HD+ Kids Armwrestling championship, we want the students to have a feel of what the sport is hence the selection of the venue,” he said.
The one-day event would be put together by the IOC Team from Ghana Armwrestling Federation with support from 442 images.
President of GAF, Mr Charles Osei Asibey, explained that Ghana would be competing at the 2023 Africa Armwrestling Championship next month which would be hosted in Ghana and would want to strengthen the Athletes Brigade of the federation for the Africa championship.
He added that Armwrestling has been added to the sports code for the 2024 Africa Games to be held in Ghana, therefore they would want to host and win hence the need to give talented Ghanaians the opportunity to represent their country.
Mr. Asibey said all Ghanaians interested in exhibiting their talent and strength to represent Ghana at local and international competitions should visit the venue on Saturday, May 20 and register to be given the chance to battle.
He said there would be competition for both males and females in left and right-arm battles as well as para-armwrestling.
He encouraged more girls and officers from the Security Services Sports Association (SESSA) and the Ghana University Sports Association (GUSA) to register to make a name for themselves.
Meanwhile, selected athletes from the regional teams in Ashanti, Northern, Greater Accra, Eastern, Volta/Oti and Western/Western North have been invited to pull.
Sports
Black Starlets arrives in Morocco on U-17 AFCON mission …FA boss charges team to make Ghana proud
The Black Starlets, the national U-17 male team, have safely arrived in Casablanca ahead of the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The team departed Accra on Wednesday, travelling with a 35-man contingent made up of 21 players and 14 officials, all focused on delivering a strong campaign on the continental stage.
They completed a smooth five-hour flight to Morocco, where final preparations will continue before the tournament kicks off.
The technical team is expected to fine-tune tactics and build cohesion among the squad as they gear up for the competition.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Mr Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, was present at the Accra International Airport to bid farewell to the team.
Speaking during a brief farewell at the Airport, the FA President urged the team to carry a ‘never say die’ spirit into the competition.
President Simeon-Okraku emphasised the importance of mental strength and unity, particularly in difficult moments during matches. His message was inspired by the team’s recent friendly encounters against Cote d’Ivoire, where they bounced back strongly after an initial defeat.
“I’m very happy that when you lost to Cote d’Ivoire in your first game during your friendly matches, you were able to bounce back—not only to dominate but to outscore them in the second game,” he said. “I read a lot of meaning into that, and I want all of you to keep that in your heads—that, it’s not over until it’s all over,” he added.
The FA president stressed that the ability to respond positively to setbacks would be crucial in a tournament as competitive as the AFCON.
He encouraged the players to stay united and support one another when the pressure intensifies on the continental stage.
“When the chips are down, that’s when we need to hold each other together,” Okraku added. “So go out there and make Ghana proud.”
Ghana will compete in Group D alongside Algeria, Senegal, and South Africa, with their opening match scheduled for Thursday, May 14.
Twenty-three (23) players have been called up for this month’s international friendly against Mexico.
The squad is composed of star players from the domestic league and European leagues who are closely monitored by Coach Carlos Queiroz, as well as U-23 players who will soon represent Ghana in the upcoming Olympic Games qualifiers.
Notable names include Majeed Ashimeru, Felix Afena-Gyan, Razak Simpson, and Birmingham City’s Ibrahim Osman.
Ashimeru returns to action after a long spell on the sidelines due to a muscle injury that limited his appearances at both club and national level.
Also in the team is Felix Afena-Gyan, whose last appearance for Ghana was in May last year when he featured against Trinidad and Tobago in the Unity Cup in London.
Barcelona B’s Abdul Aziz Issah, Ebenezer Annan of AS Saint-Étienne, Ibrahim Osman of Birmingham City, and Paul Reverson of Ajax FC have also been included in the squad.
Midfielder Salim Adams, one of the key players for Ghana Premier League leaders Medeama SC, leads the group of home-based players.
Others are Heart of Lions’ Ebenezer Abban, Ebenezer Adade of Dreams FC, and Nations FC captain Razak Simpson. Ghana will travel to Mexico for the international friendly on Friday, May 22, 2026.
