Ghana’s Golden Shuttlers, the U-19 Junior National Badminton team, returned home on Friday evening to a rousing welcome at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra.

The Shuttlers emerged as champions in the 2024, All Africa Youth Badminton championship in Senegal.

The team was greeted with loud cheers at the airport after winning three gold and a bronze medal in the competition.

In the mixed relay team category, Ghana defeated Benin 60-50 aggerate to emerge winners, the team including Addo Leslie, Nii Adote, Adu-Minta Obapomba, Ankrah Jonathan, Amofa Andy, Moslena Ama Korama Adu, Quarcoo Racheal and Awa Camara.

In the men’s triple team category, Ghana beat South Africa 3-1 to win gold, they were, Addo Leslie, Nii Adote, Adu-Minta Obapomba, and Ankrah Jonathan.

In the women’s triple category, Ghana beat Algeria 3-1 to win gold, the team comprising Adu Moslena Ama Korama, and Quarcoo Racheal.

Mr Yeboah Evans, President of Ghana Badminton congratulated the team for their excellent performance saying, “The result achieved by winning three gold medals and one bronze put us on that pedestal and gives us the avenue for the sport.”

He said, the sport of Badminton was trifling and with the result that had been achieved by the kids, “it is something that is propelling every individual and stakeholders to help to be able to move to the next level.”

He said, “Having also qualified for the World Championship this gives us an avenue for us to be able to spearhead the country’s sports to that height it needs.”

He said, “We are excited that there is a lot of collaboration with the Ghana Olympic Committee, National Sports Authority, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Tebal Ghana during the campaigning and training period at the Borteyman Sports.

He said, “We had all the support that we needed from the government which had been very good to what we needed to do.”

Adding, “Every kid on the street, school wants to get involved in the game and we are excited with all the requests that are coming, we urge all corporate institutions to get closer to us for us to be able to expand the growth of the sport.”

Coach Moses Adu, Head Coach of the team expressed his gratitude to the athletes for the excellent work done and urged them to continue to make themselves and the country proud.

He said, “We played Badminton and Air badminton thus two events, with Air Badminton it was the first time organised in Africa and Ghana is the first country to have won that event and we retained the Badminton title as well.”

“For now, if any country can boast of anything, Ghana is the first country to have won the Air Badminton and we have to maintain this glory.”

Moslena Ama Korama Adu, Deputy Captain who spoke on behalf of the players also expressed their excitement and pledged to win more medals for the country in the future.

She said, “It wasn’t easy nor difficult but with God, everything was possible, throughout our training our coach was helping us in the training and we never let him down.”

“I have been playing Badminton for five years now, so I see myself reaching up for the World medals.”

EK