13th African Games: No Ghanaian athlete qualified for Olympic Games despite 67 medals

Despite Team Ghana's outstanding performance at the 13th African Games, which saw the country cross the 50-medal haul for the first time, none of the country's athletes qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games, which will be held in Paris, France.

According to reports, none of the athletes achieved the times, heights, or distances necessary to qualify for the Olympic Games.

Ghana achieved significant success in the track and field events, with sprinter Joseph Paul Amoah winning gold. However, his 20:70 seconds was a few milliseconds away from the Olympic standard. The Olympic qualification time is 20:16 seconds.

In the 100-metre event, Azamati represented the country's best hope. However, he fell short of a medal after coming in fifth in the final. With a time of 10.45 seconds, Azamati is quite a distance from the Olympic qualification time of 10:00 seconds.

According to a 3news report, in the history of Ghanaian athletics, only five sprinters have been able to achieve the Olympic time in 100 metres and participated in the world's biggest sporting festival.

They are Benjamin Azamati, who did 9:90s; Paul Amoah, with 9:94s; Leo Myles Mills, who ran 9:98s; Aziz Zakari, whose record stood at 9:99s; and Eric Nkansah, whose record is at 10.00s.

Cadman Yamoah and Rose Amoanima, who outdid themselves in the high jump events to win two medals for Ghana, could not reach the Olympic standard height.

William Amponsah came in second in the 10,000km race, giving Ghana a silver medal, but he will have to improve his time to compete at Paris 2024.

The good news for Ghana is that the athletics calendar is now starting, so the athletes will have several events between now and June 30 to make the time, distances, and heights for the Olympic Games.

Ghana won 67 medals at the 13 African Games, the country's best record in the competition over the years.

EK/AE