Fiasco For Athletes

Ghana's participation in this year’s World Athletics Championship is likely to end in the same manner as the country’s engagement in the last competition in Athens two years ago — return home empty-handed.

As of yesterday none of the nine-member track and field team had won a medal and the men’s 4 x 100m relay team remains the country’s last hope of returning home with a prize.

To compound their problems of not being provided with uniform sportswear, the athletes have been left without any money as the country’s sports authorities have failed to provide the contingent with preparation allowance, bonuses and per diem allowances.

The acting Chief Executive of the National Sports Council (NSC), Dr E. Owusu-Ansah, admitted on Joy FM yesterday that his outfit had “found it difficult accessing money” for the team even though their upkeep in Paris had been budgeted for.

With the Championship ending on Sunday, it is unlikely that the athletes and accompanying officials will receive any money in Paris before they return to their respective bases.

Dr Owusu-Ansah says he is ‘trying hard’ to get the funds released. He confirmed that there’s constant communication between his office and the athletes, and has promised to compensate them at the All Africa Games in Abuja, if the money is not released by the close of competition. The money issue aside, Ghana’s performance has not been good enough to merit a medal.

Margaret Simpson was the country’s best hope to reach the medal zone but after a good start in the heptathlon, the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist and African champion, drifted from the medal zone and eventually placed 15th in the eight-discipline event.

Young female sprinter, Vida Anim, could not advance past the second heats of the 100 metres, and placed third in the first heats of the 200 metres in a time of 23.08 sec.(Ghanaweb comment: Anim made it to the 200 semi-finals)

Akosua Serwah finished seventh in the women’s 800 meetres in a time of 2:03:24 — and in the process set a new national record.

The men did not fare any better. Triple jumper Andrew Owusu placed eighth in the event with a leap of 16.86 metres.

Long jumper Ignisious Gaisah reached the final of the event but finished in eighth position. (Ghanaweb comment: This is inaccurate. Gaisah finished a respectable fourth in the finals)

National sprint champion, Aziz Zakari, was disappointing as he failed to qualify for the second round of the men’s 100 metres.