Maputo, Mozambique, Sept. 16, GNA - Professor Francis Dodoo, President of the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA) is ruing Ghana's failure to grab the gold medal in 4 x 100 Men's Relay finals at the 10th All Africa Games (AAG) at Maputo, Mozambique.
He said it was an event Ghana could have won the race and picked home the gold medal if they had put up a little effort but regrettably the team allowed Nigeria to overtake them.
Professor Dodoo told the GNA Sports in Maputo that Ghana was in the lead when Aziz Zakari took over the button from Ashad Agyapong but he was a bit sluggish and this denied Ghana the gold medal.
He, however, noted that he was not down playing the performance of the veteran sprinter but stated that Ghana could have done better and won the ultimate.
The GAA boss noted that the team showed a lot of promise taking into consideration the ages of most members of the quartet, which he said was an indication of greater things to happen in future for the athletics team.
"These are very young athletes who have demonstrated high level of quality and I believe the future belongs to them.
"I wish the Olympics was two years away, and I could have comfortably promised an improved impact at the London 2012 Games. These boys will be ripe for the international scene in two years”.
Zakari on the other hand believes Nigeria deserve the gold medal because they were dominant in the individual events.
"The Nigerians won the first three top positions in the 100 meters event at the Games and that was the strength they carried into the Relay.
"Their athletes were more experienced than our boys. Most of our boys are now making an appearance on the international scene and it will be difficult for us to beat them." He noted.
The veteran sprinter said they could have won the gold medal if the team had included some experienced athletes.
He was of the opinion that the Relay team did their best in the competition even though Ghana holds the record from the last AAG held in Algeria.
Ghana's quartet team of Emmanuel Appiah Kubi, Ashad Adjapong, Tim Abeyie and Aziz Zakari picked a silver medal at the 4 x 100 Men's Relay event at the Zimpeto Stadium in Maputo Stadium on Tuesday.
(William D. Ezah, GNA Special Correspondent, Maputo, Mozambique, courtesy, National Sports Authority)
