Sports
Vigah, Pierce give to weightlifters
A little over a dozen of Ghana’s weightlifters were at the weekend presented with a variety of food items to cushion them in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The items , which included boxes of indomie, mini bags of rice and cooking oil were donated by Communications Director of the Ghana Weightlifting Federation (GWF), John Vigah and Technical Director of the Federation, Kyle Pierce.
“This is coming from Kyle and I. It is our widow’s mite to motivate you as you prepare to return to training,” Vigah said.
It is the third of such gesture to the weightlifters, who have benefited from much bigger donations by the GWF boss, Ben Nunoo Mensah and a board member of the Federation Jerry Ahmed Shaib, during the COVID-19 partial lockdown.
Mr Vigah advised the lifters to be focused, train hard and adhere to the COVID-19 safety protocols.
Last week, the government lifted the ban on individual sports, paving way for the weightlifting team to begin training at the Accra Sports Stadium.
However, according to the head coach of the weightlifting team, Nii Darko Dodoo, only a few of the lifters would be allowed to train in line with the social distancing protocols.
Captain of the weightlifting team, Christian Amoah and UK-based Forrester Osei have been tipped to qualify for the Japan 2020 Olympics, having accumulated an appreciable number of points from several competitions.
The two are expected to take part in a final Olympic qualifier in Mauritius, fixed for October.
BY TIMES SPORTS REPORTER
Asante Kotoko SC has announced with deep sadness the passing of its former Brands and Marketing Manager, Kweku Hammond.
In a statement released by the club, Kotoko described Hammond’s death as untimely and expressed heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.
“Although his time with the club was brief, Kweku served with dedication, diligence, and unwavering commitment to Asante Kotoko,” the club stated. “His contributions and loyalty to the club will not be forgotten.”
Kweku Hammond served in the club’s Brands and Marketing department, where he played a role in promoting the Porcupine Warriors’ brand and engaging supporters.
The club assured that it will continue to honour his memory and legacy.
“May his soul rest in perfect peace,” the statement concluded.
Fans and members of the football fraternity have since joined the club in mourning, sharing tributes to Hammond for his professionalism and commitment during his time at club.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Captain of Ghana’s National U-15 Boys team, Abdul Aziz Issa, says the exposure gained at the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival 2026 in Azerbaijan will be vital for the development of the squad.
Ghana finished 7th out of 189 countries after an impressive campaign, winning eight of ten matches.
“I think we played well, the exposure was good for our development, and we can’t thank FIFA and the GFA enough for this amazing platform,” Issa said.
“I’m so very happy to be part of this FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival 2026 in Azerbaijan. I want to thank my colleagues for how far we have brought Ghana in this tournament.”
The captain believes the experience will prepare the group for future challenges at U-17 and U-20 level.
Ghana enjoyed an outstanding tournament, scoring 44 goals and establishing themselves among the top seven teams.
Their dominant group stage saw them score 27 goals while conceding just three. Salifu Fatawu’s side opened with a commanding 4-1 win over Uzbekistan, thrashed Myanmar 7-1, recorded emphatic 7-0 wins over Guam and the Bahamas, before rounding off the group with a 2-1 triumph over Kazakhstan.
Their pursuit of a higher finish suffered a setback in the knockout phase after elimination by Paraguay in a dramatic encounter.
The team bounced back to finish 7th, including a commanding 4-0 victory over Colombia in their final game, despite suffering a 7-1 defeat to Brazil in the Tier A Ranking Play-Offs.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
