Army Team Wins Inter-Service Cross-Country

The 2002 Ghana Armed Forces Inter-Service Cross-Country Competition took place at the Air Force Station, Takoradi on Friday, 22nd November 2002 with participants drawn from the Army, Navy and the Air Force.

The Ghana Army emerged as the overall winners with 31 points. The Navy and Air Force teams took second and third positions respectively with 68 and 118 points.

The competition was in two phases. The short course covered a distance of five kilometres, while the long course covered a distance of 12 kilometres

In the long course division, three competitors from the Army team, took the first three positions. Bdr Sefiano Sulemana of the 66 Arty Regt. finished first with a time of 43 minutes, 30 seconds. L/Cpl D. Batsa took the second position in a time of 43 minutes, 42 seconds, while L/Cpl Dwamena Amposah finished third in a time of 43 minutes 43 seconds.

In short course division, LAC Ernest Sakyi of the Air Force won the race in a time of 15 minutes 59 seconds. He was followed by ABI D. Afezame, in a time of 16 minutes, 16 seconds .ABI S.B. Bortey, came third in the competition.

In his closing address, the Commandant of the Military Academy and Training Schools, Rear Admiral J.Y. Adoko, who was the guest of honour, said the Armed Forces cross-country competition is an important event in the forces calendar of events. He recounted times when the Ghana Armed Forces produced most of the country's sportsmen for international competitions, and regretted that the past years have seen a sharp decline in the Armed Forces sporting activities.

Rear Admiral Adoko assured personnel that irrespective of the forces' financial constraints, command is taking steps to give sports the necessary boost. He therefore called on the sportsmen and women to complement the efforts of higher command by training hard to emerge victorious in their sporting disciplines.