{"id":118735,"date":"2026-05-16T13:50:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T13:50:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=118735"},"modified":"2026-05-16T13:50:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T13:50:13","slug":"fearless-schoolgirls-rescue-pride-with-4x100m-bronze-as-ghanas-sprint-kings-stumble","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=118735","title":{"rendered":"Fearless schoolgirls rescue pride with 4x100m bronze as Ghana\u2019s sprint kings stumble"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>4 Minute, 47 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>

Ghana\u2019s much-vaunted men\u2019s sprint relay team cracked under the weight of expectation, but an unheralded women\u2019s quartet drawn largely from the country\u2019s Senior High School system restored pride and ignited the University of Ghana Stadium with a stirring bronze-medal performance at the 24th African Athletics Championships yesterday.
\nIn a dramatic evening of mixed emotions in Legon, Ghana\u2019s established male stars \u2014 tipped by many as favourites for gold after their recent qualification to the 2027 World Championships \u2014 failed to deliver on the continent\u2019s biggest stage, settling for bronze in the men\u2019s 4x100m final behind fierce rivals C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire and Nigeria.<\/p>\n

Yet while the nation\u2019s headline sprint acts faltered, a fearless young women\u2019s team exceeded every expectation, producing a courageous and electrifying display to also secure bronze in the women\u2019s 4x100m and trigger scenes of wild celebration among the home supporters.
\nContrasting fortunes
\nThe contrast could not have been more striking. For the men\u2019s relay team, this was supposed to be redemption night.
\nAfter Ghana\u2019s leading sprinters endured disappointment in the individual 100m events, the relay had become the country\u2019s clearest route to gold and a chance to reaffirm their growing reputation following strong performances on the international circuit.
\nThe anticipation inside the packed stadium was immense. As the athletes settled into their blocks under the floodlights, the noise levels surged to fever pitch, with the home crowd sensing a defining moment. But Ghana\u2019s race never truly exploded into life.
\nLead-off runner Edwin Gadayi failed to produce the blistering start required against a high-quality field, immediately placing Ghana on the back foot. Team captain Joseph Paul Amoah responded superbly on the second leg, powering down the back straight to reel the leaders back into contention and inject fresh belief into the stadium.
\nIbrahim Fuseni maintained the momentum with a clean baton exchange before handing over to national 100m record holder Abdul Rasheed Saminu for the anchor leg. But despite a ferocious finish from US-based Saminu, Ghana simply had too much ground to recover.
\nC\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire stormed to gold in 38.52 seconds to claim continental bragging rights, while Nigeria secured silver in 38.70 seconds. Ghana crossed the line in third place in 38.74 seconds \u2014 painfully close to silver but far from the gold the home fans had craved.
\nAmoah admitted the team had fallen short of its own expectations but quickly shifted focus to today\u2019s men\u2019s 200m, where Ghana will once again chase an elusive first gold medal of the championships.
\n\u201cWe expected better, but there will be another opportunity in the 200 metres, and we promise to go all out,\u201d Amoah told the Daily Graphic.
\nFor Saminu, whose championships ended with the relay final, the race exposed a deeper issue beyond raw speed.
\nThe Ghanaian star pointed to the absence of full team cohesion as the critical factor behind the defeat and expressed confidence that the relay squad would return stronger at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July.
\n\u201cI am not really disappointed, even though we had high expectations. We shift focus to the Commonwealth Games, by then we would have the full team,\u201d Saminu said.
\nBrave women rescue pride
\nIf the men\u2019s race ended in frustration, the women\u2019s relay produced one of the emotional high points of the championships.
\nWith little external pressure and modest expectations, Ghana\u2019s youthful quartet \u2014 dominated by products of the Senior High School athletics system \u2014 ran with remarkable composure and fearlessness against some of Africa\u2019s elite sprint nations.
\nTeenage sensation Gladys Boateng, popularly known as \u201cGaza\u201d and a student of St Louis SHS in Kumasi, gave Ghana a sharp opening leg before handing over to Janet Darkoah Kwarteng, the Level 100 University of Cape Coast student whose explosive run down the back straight hauled Ghana firmly into contention.
\nExperienced campaigner Janet Mensah steadied the team brilliantly on the third leg before handing the baton to TI Ahmadiyya SHS final-year student Aishatu Jaffar \u2014 affectionately known as \u201cOdo Broni\u201d \u2014 for the decisive anchor.
\nWhat followed sent the stadium into delirium. Jaffar held her nerve magnificently under immense pressure and unleashed a devastating burst of top-end speed to chase down the leading pack and seal bronze for Ghana in 44.85 seconds.
\nAs the quartet crossed the line, the stadium erupted in thunderous applause in recognition not just of a medal, but of the courage, composure and promise shown by a young team competing at its first major international championship.
\nNigeria underlined their sprint dominance by retaining the women\u2019s title in 42.94 seconds, while Liberia claimed silver in 43.05 seconds \u2014 repeating the exact top-three order of Nigeria-Liberia-Ghana from the 2024 African Championships in Cameroun.
\nBeyond the relays, the championships continued to produce world-class performances. Kenya\u2019s Diana Wanza delivered a commanding masterclass in the women\u2019s 10,000m, destroying the field to win gold in 31 minutes, 33.26 seconds. Rwanda\u2019s Florence Niyonkuru took silver in 31:43.73, while Ethiopia\u2019s Asefu Kiros secured bronze in 31:45.91.
\nIn the women\u2019s shot put, South Africa\u2019s Collete Uyis claimed gold with a throw of 17.63m ahead of Gabon\u2019s Carine Mekam, who registered 16.71m for silver. Kenya\u2019s Belinda Adhiambo completed the podium with bronze after a throw of 16.39m.
\nAt press time, Ghana had accumulated five medals \u2014 one silver and four bronze \u2014 after four days of competition.
\nStill without a gold medal on home soil, the hosts will now place their final hopes on the men\u2019s 200m today as the championships reach their climax in Legon.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\n

\"Against<\/p>\n

Ghana\u2019s much-vaunted men\u2019s sprint relay team cracked under the weight of expectation, but an unheralded women\u2019s quartet drawn largely from the country\u2019s Senior High School system restored pride and ignited the University of Ghana Stadium with a stirring bronze-medal performance at the 24th African Athletics Championships yesterday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a dramatic evening of mixed emotions in Legon, Ghana\u2019s established male stars \u2014 tipped by many as favourites for gold after their recent qualification to the 2027 World Championships \u2014 failed to deliver on the continent\u2019s biggest stage, settling for bronze in the men\u2019s 4x100m final behind fierce rivals C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire and Nigeria.<\/p>\n

Yet while the nation\u2019s headline sprint acts faltered, a fearless young women\u2019s team exceeded every expectation, producing a courageous and electrifying display to also secure bronze in the women\u2019s 4x100m and trigger scenes of wild celebration among the home supporters.<\/p>\n

Contrasting fortunes<\/h2>\n

The contrast could not have been more striking. For the men\u2019s relay team, this was supposed to be redemption night.<\/p>\n

After Ghana\u2019s leading sprinters endured disappointment in the individual 100m events, the relay had become the country\u2019s clearest route to gold and a chance to reaffirm their growing reputation following strong performances on the international circuit.<\/p>\n

The anticipation inside the packed stadium was immense. As the athletes settled into their blocks under the floodlights, the noise levels surged to fever pitch, with the home crowd sensing a defining moment. But Ghana\u2019s race never truly exploded into life.<\/p>\n

Lead-off runner Edwin Gadayi failed to produce the blistering start required against a high-quality field, immediately placing Ghana on the back foot. Team captain Joseph Paul Amoah responded superbly on the second leg, powering down the back straight to reel the leaders back into contention and inject fresh belief into the stadium.<\/p>\n

Ibrahim Fuseni maintained the momentum with a clean baton exchange before handing over to national 100m record holder Abdul Rasheed Saminu for the anchor leg. But despite a ferocious finish from US-based Saminu, Ghana simply had too much ground to recover.<\/p>\n

C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire stormed to gold in 38.52 seconds to claim continental bragging rights, while Nigeria secured silver in 38.70 seconds. Ghana crossed the line in third place in 38.74 seconds \u2014 painfully close to silver but far from the gold the home fans had craved.<\/p>\n

Amoah admitted the team had fallen short of its own expectations but quickly shifted focus to today\u2019s men\u2019s 200m, where Ghana will once again chase an elusive first gold medal of the championships.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe expected better, but there will be another opportunity in the 200 metres, and we promise to go all out,\u201d Amoah told the Daily Graphic.<\/p>\n

For Saminu, whose championships ended with the relay final, the race exposed a deeper issue beyond raw speed.<\/p>\n

The Ghanaian star pointed to the absence of full team cohesion as the critical factor behind the defeat and expressed confidence that the relay squad would return stronger at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am not really disappointed, even though we had high expectations. We shift focus to the Commonwealth Games, by then we would have the full team,\u201d Saminu said.<\/p>\n

Brave women rescue pride<\/h2>\n

If the men\u2019s race ended in frustration, the women\u2019s relay produced one of the emotional high points of the championships.<\/p>\n

With little external pressure and modest expectations, Ghana\u2019s youthful quartet \u2014 dominated by products of the Senior High School athletics system \u2014 ran with remarkable composure and fearlessness against some of Africa\u2019s elite sprint nations.<\/p>\n

Teenage sensation Gladys Boateng, popularly known as \u201cGaza\u201d and a student of St Louis SHS in Kumasi, gave Ghana a sharp opening leg before handing over to Janet Darkoah Kwarteng, the Level 100 University of Cape Coast student whose explosive run down the back straight hauled Ghana firmly into contention.<\/p>\n

Experienced campaigner Janet Mensah steadied the team brilliantly on the third leg before handing the baton to TI Ahmadiyya SHS final-year student Aishatu Jaffar \u2014 affectionately known as \u201cOdo Broni\u201d \u2014 for the decisive anchor.<\/p>\n

What followed sent the stadium into delirium. Jaffar held her nerve magnificently under immense pressure and unleashed a devastating burst of top-end speed to chase down the leading pack and seal bronze for Ghana in 44.85 seconds.<\/p>\n

As the quartet crossed the line, the stadium erupted in thunderous applause in recognition not just of a medal, but of the courage, composure and promise shown by a young team competing at its first major international championship.<\/p>\n

Nigeria underlined their sprint dominance by retaining the women\u2019s title in 42.94 seconds, while Liberia claimed silver in 43.05 seconds \u2014 repeating the exact top-three order of Nigeria-Liberia-Ghana from the 2024 African Championships in Cameroun.<\/p>\n

Beyond the relays, the championships continued to produce world-class performances. Kenya\u2019s Diana Wanza delivered a commanding masterclass in the women\u2019s 10,000m, destroying the field to win gold in 31 minutes, 33.26 seconds. Rwanda\u2019s Florence Niyonkuru took silver in 31:43.73, while Ethiopia\u2019s Asefu Kiros secured bronze in 31:45.91.<\/p>\n

In the women\u2019s shot put, South Africa\u2019s Collete Uyis claimed gold with a throw of 17.63m ahead of Gabon\u2019s Carine Mekam, who registered 16.71m for silver. Kenya\u2019s Belinda Adhiambo completed the podium with bronze after a throw of 16.39m.<\/p>\n

At press time, Ghana had accumulated five medals \u2014 one silver and four bronze \u2014 after four days of competition.<\/p>\n

Still without a gold medal on home soil, the hosts will now place their final hopes on the men\u2019s 200m today as the championships reach their climax in Legon.
\u00a0<\/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-118735","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\/118735","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=118735"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118735\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=118735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=118735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=118735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}