22ND WORLD WALKING CUP 2006
Walkers all over the world are picking up their shoes in a quest to win laurels for themselves and their respective countries in the next world walking cup which happens to be the 22nd edition. The clock is tickling down as the days go by. Ghana is privileged to have taken part in three of the said competitions with the first being in France in 1999, Italy in 2002 and Germany in 2004.In an interview with Vincent Asumang, the Ghanaian ace walker who has made it to the world stage in all three occasions that the country has been to the prestigious competition, he indicated that, being first timers to the event in France the country sent only a two (2) man team as against the required five (5) for a team. Ghana could therefore not be ranked the unfriendly cold weather condition also had a toll on the performance of the walkers.
This saw an increase in the number of the team which was sent to the Turin event in Italy in the year 2000, where Ghana sent a team of five (5) which happened to be an improvement over the first. Three weeks to the competition, members of the Ghanaian team were traveling around 150km from Cape Coast to Accra daily to pursue their traveling documents. This time around, the country got ranked at the 19th position out of 32.This was partly due to an error on the part of the organizers who could not give accurate information on the timing and laps of the Ghanaian competitors resulting in them to walk more than the required distance and hence the 19th position. Flight schedule was the main problem of the team on its third attempt in Germany. This resulted in Ahmed Tijani Sanni and Vincent Asumang to be the only competitors to arrive late and to represent the country at that level.
It would be of no use to cry over spilled milk as the 22nd edition approaches, all efforts are being made to see to the success of the Ghanaian team this time around. To this end measures such as early camping of walkers,early processing of traveling document,external competition etc are some of the measures that are being taken to curtail some of the problems that had previously happened.
Asumang took the opportunity to thank the following individuals and co-operate bodies for supporting walking in Ghana,HE.Sam Valis Akyeanu, Hon.Kwadwo Baah Wiredu,Peter Kpodogbui,Dave McGovern,Peter Cassidy, Hans Van Knaap,Khoo Chong Beng,Energizer, Fidelity Discount House, Air Afrique,Alitalia,Biriwa Beach Hotel, Savoy Hotel,Voltic,Ghana Classified, Metro TV, Elephant Ointment,El-Wak Keep Fit Club,U.S,U.K.and MaleysiaWalking Associations.
