{"id":117927,"date":"2026-05-13T13:13:55","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T13:13:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=117927"},"modified":"2026-05-13T13:13:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T13:13:55","slug":"african-athletics-championships-amoah-saminu-gadayi-through-to-100m-semis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=117927","title":{"rendered":"African Athletics Championships: Amoah, Saminu, Gadayi through to 100m semis"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>3 Minute, 41 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>

Ghana\u2019s male sprint stars powered into the semi-finals amid a night of high drama and contrasting emotions as the 24th African Athletics Championships exploded into life at the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon yesterday.
\nWhile Joseph Paul Amoah, Abdul Rasheed Saminu and Edwin Gadayi safely negotiated the opening round of the men\u2019s 100 metres, Ghana\u2019s young female sprinters endured a difficult baptism on the continental stage in front of an expectant home crowd.<\/p>\n

The championships roared into action with the men\u2019s decathlon, long jump and 400m hurdles, but the atmosphere inside the packed stadium reached another level once the sprinters exploded from the blocks.
\nAmoah, Saminu and Gadayi all finished second in their respective heats to book places in today\u2019s semi-finals, setting up potentially explosive contests against some of Africa\u2019s fastest men.
\nHowever, Ghana\u2019s women\u2019s sprint challenge suffered early setbacks as Aishatu Jaffar and Leticia Ohenewaa failed to progress from their heats, while Janet Mensah saw her race unravel after a false start before reacting late at the restart.
\nNigeria\u2019s Rosemary Chukwuma underlined her credentials as one of the women\u2019s sprint favourites with a commanding victory in Heat Two, clocking 11.44 seconds with apparent ease.
\nGhana\u2019s task has been made even tougher by the absence of several key athletes. US-based sprinters Deborah Acheampong and Hor Halutie missed the championships because of commitments to collegiate competitions in the United States, while African high jump champion Rose Yeboah and sprint stars Benjamin Azamati and Safo Ansah were ruled out through injury.
\nHowever, amid the setbacks, there were enough flashes of promise to keep local fans energised. Evonne Britton stormed to victory in the women\u2019s 100m hurdles, while Florence Agyemang, nicknamed \u201cAviator\u201d, delivered an assured run to finish second in her women\u2019s 400m heat and advance to today\u2019s semi-finals.
\nShe is also expected to feature prominently in Ghana\u2019s 4x400m relay campaign.<\/p>\n

In the absence of some of the country\u2019s more established female athletes, Ghana Athletics turned boldly to a new generation of schoolgirl sprinters to face Africa\u2019s elite on the sport\u2019s grandest continental platform.
\nJaffar, popularly known as \u201cOdo Broni\u201d, from TI Ahmadiyyah SHS, and Ohenewaa of St Louis SHS in Kumasi, embraced the occasion despite failing to advance.
\nFor Jaffar, the experience itself represented a major breakthrough.
\n\u201cIt was difficult racing against such experienced athletes, but competing on such a big stage motivated me to push harder and achieve my personal best,\u201d she told the Daily Graphic after the race.
\n\u201cI can\u2019t wait for the 4×100 relay.\u201d
\nAnother teenage sensation, Gladys Boateng, affectionately called \u201cGaza\u201d after her breakout performances during the Ashanti Region Super Zonal competition, is also expected to compete in the women\u2019s 200m and 4x100m relay.
\nThe sacrifices demanded of Ghana\u2019s young athletes were further exposed last night when Jaffar and 17-year-old Portia Nkrumah, a final-year student of Sammo SHS in Cape Coast, left the national camp immediately after competing to travel to Kumasi and Cape Coast respectively to sit their WASSCE Oral English examinations today.
\nNkrumah, who ran a personal best in the women\u2019s 400m heats, is expected to return in time to compete in Ghana\u2019s 4x400m relay later this evening.
\nAthletics coach Emmanuel Gyefa dismissed suggestions that the jump from senior high school competition to elite continental athletics was too steep for the teenagers.
\n\u201cWe can only produce champions through exposure and experience,\u201d Coach Gyefa, popularly known as Coach Saga, explained.
\n\u201cPutting them on this stage is crucial for their development. They qualified on merit and deserve to be here.\u201d
\nAttention tonight will also shift to Ghana\u2019s long-distance hope, William Amponsah, who enters the men\u2019s 10,000m determined to dethrone the East African giants after claiming silver at the previous championships.
\nThe US-based record holder is fully aware of the challenge posed by the traditional powerhouses from Kenya and Ethiopia, but he is no longer intimidated by them.
\n\u201cI\u2019ve raced against them several times, and I know I can beat them now,\u201d Amponsah declared confidently.
\n\u201cI took silver last time, so this time I\u2019m going for gold.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s good seeing Ghanaians around the stadium. Their support excites me, but the Holy Spirit is my advantage. Ghanaians should expect something special from this race and future competitions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n \n
\n \n \"Happy\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Happy <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n \n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Sad\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Sad <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Excited\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Excited <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Sleepy\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Sleepy <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n \n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Angry\"\n <\/a>\n
Angry<\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Surprise\"\n <\/a>\n
Surprise<\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\n

\"Ghanaian<\/p>\n

Ghana\u2019s male sprint stars powered into the semi-finals amid a night of high drama and contrasting emotions as the 24th African Athletics Championships exploded into life at the University of Ghana Stadium in Legon yesterday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

While Joseph Paul Amoah, Abdul Rasheed Saminu and Edwin Gadayi safely negotiated the opening round of the men\u2019s 100 metres, Ghana\u2019s young female sprinters endured a difficult baptism on the continental stage in front of an expectant home crowd.<\/p>\n

The championships roared into action with the men\u2019s decathlon, long jump and 400m hurdles, but the atmosphere inside the packed stadium reached another level once the sprinters exploded from the blocks.<\/p>\n

Amoah, Saminu and Gadayi all finished second in their respective heats to book places in today\u2019s semi-finals, setting up potentially explosive contests against some of Africa\u2019s fastest men.<\/p>\n

However, Ghana\u2019s women\u2019s sprint challenge suffered early setbacks as Aishatu Jaffar and Leticia Ohenewaa failed to progress from their heats, while Janet Mensah saw her race unravel after a false start before reacting late at the restart.<\/p>\n

Nigeria\u2019s Rosemary Chukwuma underlined her credentials as one of the women\u2019s sprint favourites with a commanding victory in Heat Two, clocking 11.44 seconds with apparent ease.<\/p>\n

Ghana\u2019s task has been made even tougher by the absence of several key athletes. US-based sprinters Deborah Acheampong and Hor Halutie missed the championships because of commitments to collegiate competitions in the United States, while African high jump champion Rose Yeboah and sprint stars Benjamin Azamati and Safo Ansah were ruled out through injury.<\/p>\n

However, amid the setbacks, there were enough flashes of promise to keep local fans energised. Evonne Britton stormed to victory in the women\u2019s 100m hurdles, while Florence Agyemang, nicknamed \u201cAviator\u201d, delivered an assured run to finish second in her women\u2019s 400m heat and advance to today\u2019s semi-finals.<\/p>\n

She is also expected to feature prominently in Ghana\u2019s 4x400m relay campaign.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In the absence of some of the country\u2019s more established female athletes, Ghana Athletics turned boldly to a new generation of schoolgirl sprinters to face Africa\u2019s elite on the sport\u2019s grandest continental platform.<\/p>\n

Jaffar, popularly known as \u201cOdo Broni\u201d, from TI Ahmadiyyah SHS, and Ohenewaa of St Louis SHS in Kumasi, embraced the occasion despite failing to advance.<\/p>\n

For Jaffar, the experience itself represented a major breakthrough.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was difficult racing against such experienced athletes, but competing on such a big stage motivated me to push harder and achieve my personal best,\u201d she told the Daily Graphic after the race.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t wait for the 4×100 relay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another teenage sensation, Gladys Boateng, affectionately called \u201cGaza\u201d after her breakout performances during the Ashanti Region Super Zonal competition, is also expected to compete in the women\u2019s 200m and 4x100m relay.<\/p>\n

The sacrifices demanded of Ghana\u2019s young athletes were further exposed last night when Jaffar and 17-year-old Portia Nkrumah, a final-year student of Sammo SHS in Cape Coast, left the national camp immediately after competing to travel to Kumasi and Cape Coast respectively to sit their WASSCE Oral English examinations today.<\/p>\n

Nkrumah, who ran a personal best in the women\u2019s 400m heats, is expected to return in time to compete in Ghana\u2019s 4x400m relay later this evening.<\/p>\n

Athletics coach Emmanuel Gyefa dismissed suggestions that the jump from senior high school competition to elite continental athletics was too steep for the teenagers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can only produce champions through exposure and experience,\u201d Coach Gyefa, popularly known as Coach Saga, explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cPutting them on this stage is crucial for their development. They qualified on merit and deserve to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Attention tonight will also shift to Ghana\u2019s long-distance hope, William Amponsah, who enters the men\u2019s 10,000m determined to dethrone the East African giants after claiming silver at the previous championships.<\/p>\n

The US-based record holder is fully aware of the challenge posed by the traditional powerhouses from Kenya and Ethiopia, but he is no longer intimidated by them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve raced against them several times, and I know I can beat them now,\u201d Amponsah declared confidently.<\/p>\n

\u201cI took silver last time, so this time I\u2019m going for gold.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s good seeing Ghanaians around the stadium. Their support excites me, but the Holy Spirit is my advantage. Ghanaians should expect something special from this race and future competitions.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,103],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-117927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports","category-travel"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117927","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=117927"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117927\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=117927"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=117927"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=117927"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}