Ghana will be represented by two young 400m talents at the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Aishatu Jaffar, popularly known as Odo Broni, and Godfred Opoku prepare to take their first major steps on the global stage.

According to several reports, Ghana Athletics selected Jaffar, a student of T I Ahmadiyya SHS, and Opoku, who graduated from Okomfo Anokye SHS in 2025, to compete in the women's and men’s 400m, respectively.

The pair will be part of a global field converging on Hayward Field at the University of Oregon from August 5 to 9, 2026, for the 21st edition of the World Athletics U20 Championships.

Female Moroccan footballer Amar dies in border crossing to Spain

The competition is expected to attract around 1,700 athletes from nearly 200 countries, allowing Ghanaian youngsters to measure themselves against some of the world's best emerging talent.

The 400m events will be among the early track attractions, with the men’s first round, semi-finals and final scheduled for August 6 and 7, 2026.

The women’s 400m will follow a similar progression during the championships.

The Eugene meeting also promises plenty of attention in the sprint events, with several leading U20 athletes expected to compete.

World U20 record-holder Gout Gout, however, will miss the championships after suffering a serious hamstring injury.

For Jaffar and Opoku, the focus will be on making the most of their opportunity and gaining valuable experience at the highest level of junior athletics.



FKA/EB

Tsatsu Tsikata, Kwame Peprah, Hackman Owusu Agyemang pay tribute to Victor Gbeho