Ghana almost dropped me from Commonwealth Games - Medal winner reveals

Ghana’s only medal winner at the ongoing Commonwealth Games, Jessie Lartey has revealed that he was almost axed from the final contingent for the Games by officials of the Ghana Olympic Committee and Black Bombers.

According to Lartey, it took the insistence, and persuasion of his coach Ofori Asare, before he was finally allowed to make the trip to Australia.

And as fate will have it, he is the only one who has won a medal for Ghana out of the 72-man contingent sent to the multi-sport event.

Lartey who is participating in his third Commonwealth Games says he owes his victory primarily to his coach.

Speaking to Ghanaian journalist Prince Dornu after winning the medal, he said “God has given me opportunity to win something for my nation because it didn’t come easy. I thank the coaches as well, if not for Coach Asare I would be out of the team, but he told me I shouldn’t give up. He kept encouraging me that I had something in me. He was even having problems with the other federation and coaches who wanted to take me out. He was pushing them that he wanted to try me and that is why I am pleading with Ghanaians to help me thank him, he has sowed a seed and it’s reaped for Ghanaians”.

Jessie Lartey picked bronze in the 64kg light welterweight division despite his controversial defeat to Canada’s Thomas Blumenfeld at the Oxenford Studios. Per the judges' score, Lartey lost all five rounds – 30-27, 29-28; 30-27, 30-21,30-27.

However, Lartey’s performance in the division ties him at third place together with England’s Luke McCormack who lost to Namibian Jonas Jonas in the second semifinal bout.

With two days to go, Lartey’s win means Team Ghana has equalled its best record of clinching bronze medal at Glasgow Games in 2014.

In comparison, West African neighbours Nigeria is the highest placed West African team in 10th place having amassed 16 medals, comprising six gold, five silver and five bronze.

Meanwhile, Ghana is tied in 33rd place alongside Cameroon, Cook Islands, Dominica, Malta, Norfolk Island and the Solomon Islands.

South Africa is the highest ranked African team with a total of 34 medals - 12 gold, 10 silver and 12 bronze followed by Nigeria, Uganda (two gold and two bronze) and Kenya (one gold, three silver and four bronze).