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0 At a championship dominated by Africa’s established sprint queens, two Ghanaian schoolgirls quietly stole the spotlight, not necessarily because they won, but because they showed that the leap from school sports to elite African athletics.
Aishatu Jaffar — better known as Odo Broni — and Gladys “Gaza” Boateng arrived at the 24th African Athletics Championships as talented but largely untested teenagers from Kumasi’s school sports circuit.
By the time the curtain fell on the 24th African Athletics Championships at the University of Ghana Stadium, the two schoolgirls – and other promising young athletes — had emerged not merely as surprise performers, but as the most compelling evidence yet that Ghana may finally be closing its long-troubled transition gap between school sports and elite international athletics.
Thrown into the deep end following the absence of Ghana’s leading female sprinters Deborah Acheampong and Hur Alutie due to Us collegiate athletics commitments, the two teenagers responded with maturity, composure and startling confidence far beyond their age.
Running alongside experienced campaigner Janet Mensah and Level 100 university student Janet Darkoah Kwarteng, the pair played a decisive role in Ghana’s dramatic bronze medal finish in the women’s 4x100m relay last Friday.
What followed triggered wild scenes inside the stadium. The 17-year-old Odo Broni — who had travelled back to Kumasi earlier in the week to write her WASSCE oral examinations after competing in the women’s 100m — produced a fearless final burst to surge past nearly three opponents and snatch an unlikely bronze medal for the youthful Ghanaian quartet competing at its first major international championship.
It was the kind of performance that instantly transformed two schoolgirls into national talking points. Last Saturday, Odo Broni narrowly missed out on a place in the women’s 200m final after finishing third in her semi-final and placing 10th overall — an impressive conclusion to a breakthrough continental campaign.
“It was difficult racing with these experienced athletes but the motivation to run on such a big stage was higher; it pushed us to go the extra mile,” Odo Broni told the Graphic Sports.
“The target was to achieve a personal best. It was intimidating but we surprised ourselves with the bronze medal.”
Gaza, equally overwhelmed by the moment, admitted the medal had exceeded expectations but insisted the ambition remained bigger.
“I am very excited because I was hoping to win something for Ghana and with hard work and determination, here we are,” she said while proudly displaying the bronze medal.
“I thank God for this victory, but we need more support to achieve bigger things.”
Long before the African Championships, the two teenagers had already built cult status within Ghana’s schools athletics scene. At the Ashanti Regional Super Zonals earlier this year, Gaza and
Odo Broni dominated headlines with electrifying performances and an emerging rivalry that captivated spectators.
Odo Broni, a student of T.I. Ahmadiyya SHS, helped her school smash Super Zonal records in the 4x100m, 4x200m and 4x400m relays in March.
Gaza, of St Louis SHS, stormed to victory in the 100m, 200m and 1000m medley, combining elite sprinting talent with a showmanship that quickly made her a crowd favourite.
Nicknamed “Gaza” by her police officer father, who recognised her potential early, the 16-year-old has become known not only for her speed but also for her playful confidence and flamboyant celebrations — a style many supporters have compared to Jamaican sprint icon Usain Bolt.
Rather than criticising her expressive personality, many within Ghana athletics believe it should be embraced as part of a new generation bringing energy and entertainment back into the sport.
The championship also showcased a wider pipeline of emerging school talent within Team Ghana.
Among the standout performers were Portia Nkrumah of SAMO SHS, Leticia Ohenewaa and Esther Namungu of St Louis SHS, Blessed Owusu of St Hubert Seminary, and Albert Kwaku Gyabaah of T.I. Ahmadiyya SHS — all products of Ghana’s increasingly competitive schools athletics system.
Their emergence has now sparked a much bigger debate within Ghanaian sport: Has the country finally found a way to bridge the long-troubled gap between school athletics and elite senior competition?
Ghana sprint legend and coach Leonard Myles-Mills believes the signs are encouraging.
“Monitoring from here in the US, I was impressed with their performance; they represent the future of athletics and the authorities must support them in their development to the top,” the former Ghana 100m record holder told the Graphic Sports.
Myles-Mills also rejected claims that the girls had been rushed prematurely into senior elite competition.
“I disagree with those who said they were too young,” he said. “Abedi Pele showed us the way when he was integrated into the Black Stars early in his career and won the African Cup at 16 years. There is nothing like you’re too young or too old in athletics; it’s all about time and performance.”
