Ivorian wins 100 kilometres cycling race in Takoradi

Takoradi, Oct. 12, GNA - Abdulai Troare, a 40-year-old cyclist from Cote d'Ivoire won the 100 kilometres Central and Western Regional Cycling competition.

The event, which was sponsored by Pepsi, BIC Bivac International, SDV Ghana, Wienco Fertilizer, Woodin, Novotel and Glico Insurance forms part of the sixth international cycling tour of Ghana.

Participants were drawn from Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso and Cote d'Ivoire.

Mr. Ayitey Akoto from Ghana won the second position while Birba Wenceslas and Eugene Houinsinoue both from Burkina Faso took the third and fourth positions respectively.

Mr. Joseph Wireko, Marketing Manager of Pepsi Cola said his company decided to support the event because the want to ensure that all the competitors were physically and mentally sound.

He appealed to Ghanaians to make exercises a regular feature of their daily lives, to reduce their susceptibility to diseases. Mrs. Victoria Osafo, Public Relations Manager of Ghana Telecom said the aim of promoting cycling and other lesser known sports is to enable the country to participate in such competitions at the international scene.

Mr. Peter Y. Affort, a member of the Ghana Cycling Association (GCA) said that due to financial constraints only three clubs out of the 17 registered cycling teams in the country participated in the competition.

He said the GCA is currently training two cyclists to participate in an international competition in South Africa in February 2005. Mr. Affort said four girls and a boy aged between 15 and 18 years are also being trained by the Association to compete in a cycling event in Burkina Faso by October 30 this year.

He appealed to motorists to respect cyclists and avoid acts that could endanger their lives and career.

Mr. Troare expressed his appreciation to the organisers and his co-competitors for the cordial and matured sportsmanship displayed during the competition.