Vida Equals 25-Year Old Record

Kumasi, July 6, Vida Nsiah, based in the United States, equalled the 25 year-old women's national record of 11.1 seconds in the 100 metres at the eighth Mobil Athletic Championships in Kumasi at the weekend. Alice Anum, then dubbed "African Queen", set the record in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games in Germany. The record shattered the Mobil Championships record of 11.23 seconds set by Philomina Mensah in 1993. Nsiah, also bettered her own record of 14.2 seconds in the 100 metres hurdles with a new time of 13.5 seconds. Commenting on her performance after the 100 metres race, Nsiah said she could have done better if she had had a stiffer opposition. In all, 11 Mobil Championships records were set in the two-day meet, five in the men's division and six in the women's events. Promising star Kofi Alavanyo set a new national record of three minutes, 47.9 seconds in the 1,500 metres to erase the old record of three minutes, 47.10 seconds which stood in the name of Kennedy Osei set in Muranberg in 1993. Seth Bortey clocked 13 minutes, 43.3 seconds in the 5,000 metres to break the existing record of 15 minutes, 05.0 seconds set by Shaibu Mahama last year, while Edward Abaye bettered his old record of 4.30 metres in the Pole Vault when he cleared the bar at 4.35 metres. Andrew Owusu, a US-based athlete, lept 16.9 metres in the Triple Jump event to set a new Mobil championships record. The old record of 16.66 metres stood in the name of Francis Dodoo, another US-based athlete. Richard Agyapong, bettered his own record in the men's Javelin with a throw of 65.40 metres. His old record of 62.67 metres was set in 1994. In the women's division, Agnes Afiyo, the new sensation on the local scene who is fast becoming a phenomenon in woman athletics, set the tone for the records on the first day of the competition with a throw of 55.36 metres in the Javelin event. Her old record of 53 metres was made last month at the three-nation meet in Kumasi. Afiyo, known for her outstanding performance in the field events of javelin and shot put, blazed into the tracks to win the 200 metres and placed second to Nsiah in the 100 metres. Rukaya Chesoo, a new entrant in the athletics arena set a new 400 metres hurdles record, clocking one minute, 02.9 seconds to shatter the old record of one minute 11.62 seconds set by Nsiah, while Esther Johnson shattered Mary Tetteh's record of 36.15 metres in the Discus with a throw of 37.88 metres. In his closing remarks, Mr Sam Nelson, vice-President of the Africa Amateur Athletics Confederation (AAAF), said the number of records set at the championships showed that Mobil's sponsorship over the years was yielding fruitful results and commended the company for its efforts. Vida Nsiah was voted the most outstanding athlete while Agnes Afiyo and Kofi Alavanyo were voted the most promising female and male athletes respectively.