Seklorwu wins Ghana’s first ever gold medal

Ghanaian junior athlete Richard Seklorwu became the first Ghanaian athlete ever to win a gold medal in the history of the Commonwealth Youth Games after jumping 7.67m (3.2+) to claim the boy’s long jump event during the athletics competition at the Apia Park Sports Complex on day one of the Samoa 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games.

Seklorwu, who represented Ghana at the 2014 African Youth Games in Botswana, won the gold medal ahead of Australia’s Thomas Wilson who jumped 7.48m and Northern Ireland’s Benjamin Fisher with 7.38m.

The T. I. Amass Senior High School student served notice of his intent this season when he jumped a personal best 7.62m at the Ghana Athletics Association Open Championships in Kumasi on 23rd May, 2015. He currently leads the GAA’s national long jump ranking with the best jump of the year.

Elsewhere, 400m runner Salomey Agyei qualified for the girl’s 400m final after clocking 56.22 secs in the 400m semi finals while middle distance runner Hellen Maasotuo came 7 in the girl’s 1500m final in a time of 5:02.14 min.

The two athletes posted some impressive performances at the Ghana Athletics Association’s Open Championships and Interplast-Sea & Shore National Circuit Championships, and the Ashanti Region Inter School’s competition earlier in the season.

Hellen Maasotuo competed in the 1500m event at the Interplast-Sea & Shore National Circuit Championships and also posted a personal best of 2.16.57 min in the 800m at the GAA Open Championships on 23 May, 2015.

Salormey Agyei is currently ranked third on the GAA’s 400m ranking having recorded a personal best 55.27 secs on 8 August at the National Circuit Final in Tamale.

Meanwhile, Team Ghana is also being represented by swimming sensation Jackson Abeiku Gyekye who is yet to compete.

The team, who are accompanied by two coaches namely Salamatu Musa (athletics) and Kwodwo Abbiw Jackson (swimming), is led by the Deputy Secretary General of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Rev Richmond Quarcoo.