Marrakech 2014: The Ghanaian Story

The current crop of talent to hit Ghanaian athletics continue to soar to newer heights with an all round impressive display of power and skill in the just ended African Athletics Championship in Marrakech, Morocco.

Ghana's 4x100m women celebrating Bronze medal success

Team Ghana won a total of six (6) medals and placed 15th out of 19 participating countries on the final medals table. This is the highest haul of medals at the African Championship by team Ghana since 2006.

In the 100m men's event, Tim Abeyie placed 7th in the final crossing the line in 10.40secs. Emmanuel Dasor and Solomon Afful gracefully bowed out at the semi final stage of the competition clocking 10.46secs and 10.52secs respectively. In the 100m women's event, Gemma Acheampong also placed 7th in the final in a time of 11.74secs. Flings Owusu-Agyapong qualified for the semi final but was disqualified.

In the 200m, Tim Abeyie and Solomon Afful made it to the semi final stage but were not able to progress to final of the competition clocking 20.93secs and 20.85secs respectively. In the women's department, 24.41secs was not enough to qualify Doreen Agyei to the final.

4x100m quartet after securing Silver Medal

Daniel Gyasi qualified for the men's 400m final and ran a personal best (PB) time of 46.65secs but placed 8th. Kwadwo Acheampong also set a personal best time (PB) of 47.86secs in the semi final of the competition but unfortunately did not make it to the final. Shawkia Iddrisu placed 5th in her semi-final 400m with 55.01secs

Rashidatu Abubakar represented Ghana in the women's 100m hurdles final running a personal best time of 14.37secs. She also ran in the 400m hurdles final in which she placed sixth (6) in 60.36secs.

Representing team Ghana in the 800m was Martha Bissah who ran a personal best (PB) time of 2:06.32secs.

The quartet of Tim Abeyie, Solomon Afful, Emmanuel Dasor and Daniel Gyasi won silver in the men's 4x100m relay final finishing in 39.28secs, the fastest 4x100m time by a Ghanaian team at an African Athletics Championship since 1979.

John Ampomah has his sight set on the target

The women's quartet also didn't disappoint. The team of Flings Owusu-Agyapong, Gemma Acheampong, Beatrice Gyaman, and Janet Amponsah won bronze in the 4x100m final and ran the 3rd fastest 4x100m time (44.06secs) by a Ghanaian relay team at an African Championship in the past 14 years

The women’s quartet team for the 4x400m relay final missed out in winning a medal after placing 4th in the event. The team of Rashidatu Abubakar, Vivian Mills, Shawkia Iddrisu and Janet Amponsah  passed the baton round successfully in a time of 3:42.89secs

Elizabeth Dadzie, the apparent heir to Margaret Simpson as Ghana's Heptathlon queen tallied a total of 5286pts (PB) to win the Silver medal in the women's Heptathlon. This qualifies her for the 2014 IAAF Continental Cup in Marrakech, Morocco. She also competed in the women's Long jump, placing 5th jumping 6.14m.

Atsu Nyamadzi all pumped up

Atsu Nyamadi made history by being the first Ghanaian to win a Bronze Medal in the men's Decathlon. He amassed a total of 6946pts to clinch third (3rd) place.

On the field, Nadia Eke won the Silver medal in the women's Triple Jump competition jumping a distance of 13.40m, a personal best (PB). This also qualified her for the 2014 IAAF Continental Cup in Morocco. Mathilde Boateng was not far behind placing 4th jumping 13.23m.

Despite jumping a whooping 7.80m, Robert Martey placed 4th in the men's Long jump and also qualified for the 2014 IAAF Continental Cup.

John Ampomah set a new National Javelin record and personal best throw of 75.99m and placed 5th overall in the competition. However, Mary Zuta Nartey threw a personal best (PB) of 52.57m in the women's Javelin throw competition to win the Silver medal. Also qualifying her for the 2014 IAAF Continental Cup.

Also taking 4th place was Julia Agawu, throwing 47.13m in the women's discus throw competition. She also competed in the shot put throwing a season's best of 12.90m.

Naya Owusu placed 4th in the women's High jump with a jump of 1.70m.

FINAL MEDALS TABLE