Ghana Top Three-Nation Athletic Meet

Kumasi, - 9 June

Ghana hauled nine gold, eight silver and six bronze medals to emerge champions in the men's division of the two-day three-nation athletics championship which ended at the Kumasi Sports Stadium yesterday.

Nigeria who arrived towards the end of the opening day and therefore missed some of the events, collected six gold, seven silver and two bronze for the second spot while Cote D'Ivoire had two gold, one silver and eight bronze for the third place. Nigeria took the women's division title with eight gold, three silver and three bronze. Ghana followed with five gold, 10 silver and six bronze and Cote D'Ivoire bagged three gold, three silver and five bronze to place third.

In all, 23 records - 12 in the men's and 11 in the women's divisions were set. Ghana and Nigeria split the records equally in the men's division. Ghana claimed the 400 metres hurdles, shot put, 4 x 400 metres relay, 110 metres hurdles, 1,500 metres and the Long Jump, while Nigeria excelled in the 100 metres, Javelin, 400 metres, Discuss, Triple Jump and the 4 x 100 metres relay. Essel Mensah of Ghana set the records setting spree in motion with the 400 metres hurdles in 52.54 seconds to better Emmanuel Quarshie's record of 53.13 seconds set last year.

Gerald Cudjoe threw 14.73 metres in the Shot Put to break Ivorian Melagne Martin's throw of 14.52 metres also set last year, while Frank Prempeh clocked 14.1 seconds to better his own time of 14.74 seconds in the 110 metres hurdles he set last year. Kofi Alavanyo shattered his own record of three minutes, 53.13 seconds in the 1,500 metres with a new record of three minutes, 49.4 seconds and Mark Antony Awere also bettered his own record of 7.24 metres in the Long-Jump with a new record of 7.29 metres.

Nigeria's Sunday Emmanuel swept the 100 metres, clocking 10.2 seconds to erase the old record of 10.4 seconds set by N'dri Pacome of Cote D'Ivoire last year, while Pius Basigbe threw 69.56 metres in the Javelin to break Richard Agyapong of Ghana's existing record of 61.76. metres.

In the 400 metres, Tomy Ogbeta clocked 46.4 seconds to break Nathaniel Martey's record of 47.77 metres set last year and Ken Onugulugh threw 49.85 metres in the discuss to shatter Ivorian Zekpa Bernard's record of 42.24 metres set last year. Nigeria's Oluyemi Sule lept 16.30 metres in the Triple Jump to erase Ghana's Samuel Okantey's record of 15.65 metres set last year.

Nigeria ran the 4 x 100 metres relay in a record 40.2 seconds to break the old time of 40.59 seconds set by Cote D'Ivoire last year. In the women's division, Ghana's Mavis Agyepong broke Mercy Addy's record of one minute, 12.19 seconds in the 400 metres hurdles with a time of one minute, 04.23 seconds, while Rose Bosoma clocked four minutes, 29 seconds in the 1,500 metres to erase Gifty Abankwa's old time of four minutes, 30.84 seconds. Gloria Alozne of Nigeria clocked 13.3 seconds to win the 100 metres hurdles breaking Ivorian Kouddugnu Adelaide's record of 15.07 seconds, while Uduak Ekah clocked 11.4 seconds in the 100 metres to erase Ivorian Ayetotche Louise's of record of 11.87. Nigeria, who clocked 40.2 seconds in the 4 x 100 metres relay to shatter the existing record of 45.97 seconds set by Ghana last year, set another record in the 4 x 400 metres in three minutes, 41.25 seconds, erasing last year's record of three minutes, 47.17 seconds set by Ghana.

In the triple jump, Rosa Collins of Nigeria lept 12.75 metres to break Kouddugnom Adelaide of Cote D'Ivoire's record of 11.75 metres, while Nkiru Ojuego also of Nigeria threw 49.06 metres to break Mary Tetteh's record of 34.54 metres set last year. Chinedu Udozo of Nigeria lept 6.32 metres in the long jump to lower the old record of 5.85 metres set last year.