Big plans to revive Athletics

The new executive of the Ghana Athletics Association have vowed to initiate programmes and competitions in the bid to help revive the fortunes of the sport in the country. Consequently a 3-day national athletics competition is billed for the 23rd to 25th April in Kumasi to in the broader sphere promote athletics in the country but primarily to select athletes under 17 years of age to start training towards the Youth Olympics scheduled for Singapore in August this year.

With the Commonwealth Games also set for October this year and the U-19 IAAF Junior Championships in Senegal in July, Mr. Erasmus Addokor, head of Technical Unit at the National Sports Council (NSC) has told SportsInGhana.com that it is the intention of the GAA to organise more local competitions henceforth.

“We believe we can have the likes of Aziz Zakari and Vida Ayim replaced by equally good athletes if we have frequent competitions. We also want to prioritise the employment and training of coaches to help develop the sport at all levels,” Mr. Addorkor stated.

The GGA capo also bemoaned the days when Athletics competitions used to draw a full audience at the Kumasi Stadium during the then annual Mobil Games. Corporate sponsorship, support and involvement are key to the promotion and development of athletics in Ghana, he added.

The association has accordingly also earmarked the promotion of the sport for all regions, beginning with the April 23-25 championship where there will be representation for all the ten regions as Ghana bids to rekindle interest and support of the sport.

Motivation is also at its apex and the NSC have ordered a number of running shoes, batons, starting blocks among other equipment which they have already distributed to the various regional associations. More equipment is promised to be in the pipeline.

Next weekend’s national championships in Kumasi will also be an occasion for the Ghana Athletics Association to hold a three-day congress to see the way forward for the association, both administratively and in input.