Minister for Sports and Recreation, Hon. Kofi Iddie Adams, was thrilled by the high-performance battles during the Independence Armwrestling Challenge, held at the Center Point Mall in Accra.
There were outstanding performances from top armwrestling athletes from Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, and Togo.
The event, organized by the Ghana Armwrestling Federation, was held to celebrate Ghana’s independence and commemorate armwrestling’s historic feat of winning 41 medals for Ghana during the 2023 African Games.
In the female +80kg category, Ghana’s Grace Mintah put up a spectacular display, defeating opponents from Nigeria, Benin, and Togo to grab the gold medal. Her compatriots, Florence Boakye and Afia Kumah, won silver and bronze medals, respectively, making it a clean sweep for Ghana in the female +80kg category.
In the male category, African Games medalist Wisdom Abromekeyi cleared all opposition to take home the gold medal in the 65kg category, beating Daniel Acquah and Benin’s Amoono Stephen in the process.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s rising star, Joshua Yeboah from Chicken Wing Club, dominated the 90kg men’s category with ease. Yeboah, a promising talent in Ghanaian armwrestling, defeated experienced champions and pullers from Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, and Benin to win the gold medal, announcing his arrival on the big stage.
Several dignitaries attended the event, including Minister for Sports and Recreation, Hon. Kofi Adams; Vice President of GAF, Dr. Kofi Addo Agyekum; Hon. Joseph Cudjoe, former Minister for State Enterprises; and Hon. Dickson Kyere Duah, MP for Berekum West.
Others present included the Chief Director of the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, Mr. William Katey; GAF Board members, including Mr. Godfrey Amarteifio and Mr. Robert Appiah Ameyaw; along with the Armwrestling Presidents of Benin, Togo, and Nigeria.
Also in attendance were Dr. Bitigu Bello, representing the Center Point Mall; the Greater Accra Regional Minister’s representative; Richard Akpokavie Esq. of the Ghana Olympic Committee; Mr. Kwabena Adisi, aka Bola Ray, of EIB Network; Mr. Santok of GHOne TV; and other national federation presidents, including Mr. Ernest Danso from Baseball and Softball, Shaban Mohammed from Ghana Cycling, and George Owusu Ansah from Sports for All.
The President of Ghana Armwrestling, Africa Armwrestling, and Vice President of the World Armwrestling Federation, Charles Osei Asibey, expressed his delight at the success of the event.
“I am thrilled to see the growth of armwrestling in Ghana and Africa as a whole. This event is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our athletes, coaches, and officials,” he said.
President Osei Asibey commended the Ghana Armwrestling Federation and its partners for organizing a successful event.
“I am proud of the GAF team for hosting a world-class event that brought together top athletes from Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, and Togo,” he added.
Results:
65kg (Women)
Gold – Marie Rose (Benin)
Silver – Adefunke Adeniforo (Nigeria)
Bronze – Mabel Yeboah (Ghana)
65kg (Men)
Gold – Wisdom Abromekyi (Ghana)
Silver – Daniel Acquah (Ghana)
Bronze – Benin Amoono Stephen (Ghana)
80+kg (Women)
Gold – Grace Mintah (Ghana)
Silver – Florence Boakye Mensah (Ghana)
Bronze – Afia Kumah (Ghana)
90kg (Men)
Gold – Joshua Yeboah (Ghana)
Silver – Abdul Razak (Togo)
Bronze – Emmanuel Tuesday (Nigeria)
90+kg (Men)
Gold – Mohammed Ismael (Togo)
Silver – Obilom Chikueze Steven (Nigeria)
Bronze – Atindana Adams (Ghana)
The Independence Armwrestling Challenge was part of the Ghana Armwrestling Federation’s efforts to promote the sport and identify new talent. The event was attended by officials from the Ghana Olympic Committee, the National Sports Authority, and other key stakeholders in the sports industry.
The Ghana Armwrestling Federation expressed gratitude to the organizers, sponsors, and participants who contributed to the event’s success. The federation remains committed to developing the sport and producing world-class athletes capable of competing at the international level.
The next major armwrestling event in Ghana is the Kids Armwrestling Championship, expected to attract thousands of young talents and encourage greater participation in the sport.
