16-year-old Ghanaian bags first medal at Africa Seniors Championship

16-year-old Winifred Ntumi, defied all odds in a seniors’ competition to win bronze in the women’s 49kg bodyweight, at the ongoing Africa Seniors Weightlifting Championship in Cairo, Egypt.

She mounted the podium to receive her medal after lifting 57kg in Snatch and 67kg in Clean and Jerk, to make a total of 124kg.

The excited teenager said, she was nervous going into the competition, because it was a seniors’ event meant for the best on the continent, but with determination, she was able to get a medal for Ghana.

“When I saw the start list, I was a bit jittery, because my total entry was the least amongst the six athletes in my category, but I was inspired by my coaches and we made Ghana proud.

“I’m happy for this medal and I hope my colleagues will also win medals for us to celebrate in grand style”, she added.

Ghana is being represented by six athletes made up of two girls and four boys in five bodyweight categories.

The other female athlete is 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympian Sandra Mensimah Owusu, would compete in the 59kg category.

The boys are 2016 Rio participant Olympian Christian Amoah (96kg) who doubles as the captain of the team and Ghanaian based in UK and Africa Zone One gold medallist Christopher Forrester Osei (96kg), Africa Youth medallist.

Jeremiah Teng-Gbul Benye (81kg) and Commonwealth Weightlifting medallist David Akwei (61kg).

The athletes were accompanied by the Technical Director of the Ghana Weightlifting Federation, Dr Kyle Calhoun Pierce and the second assistant coach Daniel Darko.