Sports
Karela threaten Olympics’ unbeaten run
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Accra Great Olympics’ unbeaten run in the four-week-old betPawa Ghana Premier League will come under threat tomorrow when they visit the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale to face Karela United.
Great Olympics is one of the four teams yet to lose a game in the league.
But Karela, after holding Kotoko, are poised to add another traditional club to their victims they pluck points from, as they set out to compete fiercely for this season’s title.
In the last three seasons, Karela United has managed a single home win against the ‘Dade Boys’ with the other two ending even.
Those games were played at the Crosby Awuah Memorial Park but having moved their home games to the Aliu Mahama Stadium, Coach Ibrahim Tanko Shaibu believes the Olympics near dominance over his side would end at the new home.
“We’ll ‘finish’ them. There is no way Olympics will survive. We will beat them,” he stated after his side held Asante Kotoko to a 1-1 draw in Kumasi on Sunday.
With a win, draw, and a loss in their last three games, Coach Shaibu is bent on picking his second win of the season.
Still basking in the glory of holding Kotoko away, Olympics may just have to be strong and determined if they hope to maintain their unbeaten run.
Olympics have lacked consistency in their games, failing to win when the odds seem to be in their favour; a situation their followers have not been happy with.
After failing to kick-start their season on a winning note against Tano Bofoakwa, a game that ended goalless at the Accra Sports Stadium and seeing the visitors enjoying greater parts of the exchanges, Olympics were destined to fall in their second game against Heart of Lions at Sogakope.
But at their wondrous best, they held their own against the Premier League returnees to pick a point.
Against a Goldstars side that had upset Kotoko the week before, the Wonder Club earned a lone goal victory to record five points from a possible nine to place at the top ranks of the table.
It would surely be a cracker between two clubs trying to build up the points to avoid the usual relegation dog-fight with Karela as slight favourites but Olympics have the tendency to perform when the odds are against them.
Just as they secured points at Sogakope against the Lions, Oly can spring another surprise against Karela United.
Today at the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park in Bechem, Bechem United will take on Medeama SC with the aim of picking their second win in the four-week-old league.
Bechem United has won two of their last three home games against the Tarkwa lads – a 4-0 and 1-0 wins in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Playing at home again, the agenda would be to make it a hat-trick of victories against the high-flying Medeama side that have booked a place in the group stages of the on-going CAF Champions League competition.
Medeama lie bottom of the log with a point from two games, having been excused from their last game, due to their involvement in Africa.
Head Coach Evans Adotey says having achieved what they set out for in Africa, their focus would now shift to the league and make sure they climb up the log, beginning today.
At the Accra Sports Stadium tomorrow, Accra Hearts of Oak welcome Dreams FC with the Phobian fans clamouring for nothing but a win for their beloved club.
Hearts have recorded just a win in three match days, an outcome that has angered the fans.
They have not hidden their indignation from Coach Martin Koopman who now faces a difficult task to end the club’s poor run.
Koopman may have given the Phobians a false hope after scoring the highest number of goals during pre-season.
With the new club culture of playing recovery games, Hearts have scored over 40 goals in non-competitive matches but strangely, they have lost those scoring boots in the league and would need to rediscover it.
If not, the high-flying Dreams FC side that just qualified for the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup may be a thorn in their flesh as they engage them in the presence of their home fans.
In other games, Nsoatreman FC will clash with FC Samartex at the Nana Koramansah Sports Complex in Nsoatre.
Nations FC would play Legom Cities at the Dr Kwame Kyei Sports Complex in what promises to be an exciting encounter following the determination of the debutant to stay above water in their premier season.
Coming from a defeat in the hands of Great Olympics in Accra, Bibiani Goldstars would return to the Dun’s Park to welcome Real Tamale United in what they see as a do-or-die affair.
The WAFA Park in Sogakope will witness the clash of the returnee clubs Hearts of Lions and Bofoakwa Tano.
On Monday, Accra Lions will be seeking to protect their unbeaten run when they host Kumasi Asante Kotoko at the Accra Sports Stadium.
By Raymond Ackumey
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
The Angel Starlight Foundation (ASF) last Friday presented assorted food items to learners and management of the Street Academy, a sports and cultural organisation in Accra.
Mrs Angel Addo, Founder of the NGO made the donation as part of her birthday celebration.
She presented bags of rice, beans, maize, gallons of cooking oil, biscuits, drinks, soap and toilet rolls.
“This is a yearly ritual for me; choosing to celebrate my birthday with children of the Academy. They are very dear to my heart,” she told the Spectator.
She said “these are underprivileged children who through no fault of theirs find themselves on the streets but have been fortunate to be picked by the Academy and are receiving care.”
He urged government and corporate Ghana to also support the Academy in order to support such children who are offered formal education and trained in skilled programmes.
Receiving the items, Dr Ataa Lartey, Founder of the Academy thanked the Foundation for the gesture which he said would go a long way to ease the burden of the Academy.
In another development, the Academy will host its annual health walk today.
The event would attract children from the Academy and those from neighbouring communities and keep fit enthusiasts.
By Spectator Reporter
