Weighlifters In Medal Haul

GHANA?S WEIGHTLIFTING contingent at a six-day African Weightlifting Championship in Casablanca, Morocco, has amassed six medals, reports Isaac Franklin.

Majeti Fetrie, who is also the coach of the team, grabbed Ghana?s first medal (silver), and followed with two bronze, in the 85kg division. Majeti Fetrie, Ghana?s gold medallist at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games missed his favourite 77 kilogram event, due to flight hitches which led to the team?s late arrival.

The Ghanaian contingent joined the championship late due to delay encountered from the Africa Weightlifting Federation (AWF).

Nii Darko Dodoo, Daniel Darku, and the only female member of the contingent, Dora Afi Abotsi, also won bronze medal, each, in the Competition which ended on Monday night.

The championship served as qualification towards the next edition of the All Africa Games in Algeria, 2007.

The contingent which made the trip included five weightlifters, the Chairman and General Secretary of the Ghana Weightlifting Association, (GWA) Messrs Johnson Cliff Aboagye and Saka Acquaye, respectively.

The Ghanaian weightlifting team has, in the aftermath of its feats, been invited to participate in the World Championship in the Dominican Republic, from September 27 to October 7, this year.

Medallists of the World Championship would qualify for the next Olympic Games. The team is expected to return to Ghana, on Sunday, September 3, 2006.

Meanwhile, National Sports Council (NSC) has congratulated the weightlifting team and its officials, for making the nation proud.

Mr. Prince Ernest Oduro-Mensah, chief executive officer (CEO) of NSC told Guide Sports yesterday that the team?s remarkable performance at the African Championship indicated that Ghana would perform marvellously well, at the 2007 All-Africa Games, slated for Algiers, in Algeria.

He was of the opinion that the appointment of Majeti as the national coach, had yielded dividends.