Liquid Sports Ghana Launches 2016 Ghana Athlete of the Year Awards
As part of its 5th year Anniversary celebrations, Liquid Sports Ghana has announced the second edition of the annual Ghana athletics award dubbed, the ‘Liquid Sports Ghana Athlete of the Year Awards’ to honour and give recognition to deserving Ghanaian athletes.

Four categories of awards will be given during the 2016 awards comprising best national male and female athletes of the year, and best locally based female and male athletes of the year.

The award is aimed at throwing the spot light on both male and female national athletes who excel in representing the country both locally and internationally to inspire the younger generation.

Ghana athletics has enjoyed one of its most successful season’s in recent times after 11 national athletes qualified to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games last year.

Triple jumper Nadia Eke won Ghana’s first gold medal at the African Championships since 2012 as the national athletics team won four medals at the 2016 CAA Championships in Durban-South Africa.
The sport witnessed as many as 12 competitions locally last year, coupled with an impressive array of performances both locally and international.
Despite these giant strides, the sport is yet to fully receive the recognition it deserves in the sporting fraternity in Ghana.
The award aims at telling the story of Ghanaian athletes in the past year, noting their achievements, sacrifices and efforts to go beyond their limits using both the print and electronic media.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

The nominees for the second edition of the awards include athletes with high score performances, the athletes who won medals at the 2016 CAA Championships and athletes who broke national records.

Below are the major criteria that will be considered when selecting the best athletes in Ghana:
• IAAF scoring points for 2016’s best performance
• 2016 World Ranking (using Tilastopaja)
• 2016 African Ranking (using Tilastopaja)
• Medal won in 2016
• National record broken in 2016
Only athletes who are not subject to doping violations and a clean disciplinary record will be considered for the award.
It is the hope of the organisers of that the award will give the sport the needed scope and visibility to enhance the image of the sport.
Among other things, one of the goals of the award is to help deepen the understanding of the sport among journalists, athletes and the general public.
NOMINEES LISTS: 2016 Liquid Sports Ghana Athlete of the Year Awards Top 10 Nominees
1. Top 10 Nominees for Men’s Athlete of the Year Award
2. Top 10 Nominees for Women’s Athlete of the Year Award
3. Top 10 Nominees for Men’s Athlete of the Year Award(Locally based athletes)
4. Top 10 Nominees for Women’s Athlete of the Year Award (Locally based athletes)
Please below are the Panel of Experts Picks for Top 10 Nominees for the 4 different categories
Panel of Experts’ Top 10 Nominees
1. John Ampomah
2. Sean Safo-Antwi
3. Emmanuel Dasor
4. Sampson Laari
5. Atsu Nyamadi
6. Jordan Yamoah
7. Robert Matey
8. Daniel Gyasi
9. Alex Amankwah
10. Martin Owusu-Antwi

MEN

100m World Ranking African Ranking IAAF Points
Sean Safo-Antwi 10.18 22 May 127 14 1145
200m
Emmanuel Dasor 20.49 8 Jul 111 15 1144
Martin Owusu-Antwi 20.73 8 Jul 239 30 1108
400m
Emmanuel Dasor 45.82 15 May 123 17 1124
Daniel Gyasi 46.09 26 May 194 26 1105
800m
Sampson Laari 1:46.44 8 Jun 99 42 (6th 2016 African championships) 1130
Alex Amankwah 1:46.62 30 Apr 113 46 1125
1500m
Sampson Laari 3:43.34 (NR) 26 May 405 113 1062
5000m
Sampson Laari 14:02.22 (NR) 15 Apr 727 230 992
Pole Vault
Jordan Yamoah 5.41m (NR) indoor
5.40m (NR) outdoor 12-Mar 133 3 (3rd 2016 African championships) 1105
Long Jump
Robert Martey 7.87m 5 Jun 132 10 1109
Javelin
John Ampomah 83.09m (NR) 8 Jul 33 (19th Olympic Games) 3 (2nd 2016 African championships) 1137
Decathlon
Atsu Nyamadi 7,800pts (NR) 7 Apr 71 3 (2nd 2016 African championships) 1088

Panel of Experts’ Top 10 Nominees for National Women’s Athlete of the Year Award:
1. Flings Owusu-Agyapong
2. Nadia Eke
3. Janet Amponsah
4. Elizabeth Dadzie
5. Vivian Mills
6. Gemma Acheampong
7. Agnes Abu
8. Regina Yeboah
9. Mary Zuta Nartey
10. Julia Agawu

WOMEN

100m World Ranking African Ranking IAAF Points
Flings Owusu-Agyapong 11.26 14 May 90 7 1144
Gemma Acheampong 11.43 8 Jul 193 14 (6th 2016 African champs) 1108
200m
Janet Amponsah 22.99 8 Jul 94 6 (5th 2016 African champs) 1136
Flings Owusu-Agyapong 23.28 9 Apr 189 12 1106
Gemma Acheampong 23.95 9 Apr 676 48 1041
400m
Vivian Mills 52.78 29 May 194 22 1096
800m
Agnes Abu 2:04:42 4 Jun 290 32 1076
1500m
Agnes Abu 4:22.19 22 Apr 590 77 1034
100mh
Elizabeth Dadzie 13.49 12 May 278 12 1084
High Jump
Regina Yeboah 1.80m 11 Jun 235 8 (5th 2016 African champs) 1009
Long Jump
Elizabeth Dadzie 6.25m 25 Jun 234 10 1041
Triple Jump
Nadia Eke 13.82m (NR) 18 Jun 60 2 (2016 African champion) 1084
Discus
Julia Agawu 53.96m (NR) 14 May 169 6 (4th 2016 African champs) 960
Javelin (9th 2016 African Champs)
Mary Zuta 54.40m 1 Jun 956
Heptathlon
Elizabeth Dadzie 5730pts 25 Jun 100 3 (3rd 2016 African champs) 1022

Men’s Nominees for locally based athlete of the year:
Local men’s Top 10 Nominees
1. Martin Owusu-Antwi
2. Isaac Nkansah
3. Shadrack Opoku Agyemang
4. Ezekiel Quarshie
5. Bright Tsitey
6. Desmond Aryee
7. John O’Brien
8. Stephen Opoku
9. Godfred Kofitse
10. Prosper Goku

MEN

100m World Ranking African Ranking IAAF Points
Desmond Aryee 10.40s 16-Apr 1072
Martin Owusu-Antwi 10.42 30 Jun 734 72 1047
Shadrack Opoku-Agyeman 10.49s 16Apr 1043

200m
Martin Owusu-Antwi 20.73 8 Jul 239 30 1108
Bright Tsitey 21.15 8 Jul 744 66 1046
Stephen Opoku 21.15 12 Mar 744 66 1046
Godfrey Kofitse 21.16 8 Jul 761 70 1044

400m
John O’Brien 47.23 8 Jul 769 83 1030
1500m
Prosper Goku 3:44.92 11 Jun 600 152 1041
High Jump
Ezekiel Quarshie 2.02m 20 Feb 1496 45 932
Long Jump
Isaac Nkansah 7.71m 11 Jun 262 20 1075

Women’s Nominees for locally based athlete of the year:
Top 10 Nominees for locally based female athlete of the year:
1. Deborah Acquah
2. Regina Yeboah
3. Beatrice Gyaman
4. Agnes Abrokwah
5. Abigail Kwarteng
6. Kate Agyemang
7. Mary Zuta Nartey
8. Dorcas Gyimah
9. Sakat Lariba
10. Shawkia Iddrisu

WOMEN

100m World Ranking African Ranking IAAF Points
Beatrice Gyaman 11.55 8 Jul 329 25 1083
Dorcas Gyimah 11.79 20-Feb 1057
200m
Kate Agyeman 24.04s 16-Apr 1057
400m
Agnes Abrokwah 53.06 11 Jun 243 25 1086
Shawkia Iddrisu 53.53 11 Jun 354 37 1068
5000m
Sakat Lariba 16:58.14 16 Apr 1373 150 945
High Jump
Regina Yeboah 1.80m 11 Jun 235 8 (5th 2016 African champs) 1009
Abigail Kwarteng 1.77m 20 Feb 389 10 (4th 2016 African champs) 980

Triple Jump
Deborah Acquah 13.34m 16 Apr 183 7 1035
Javelin
Mary Zuta 54.40m 1 Jun 956

Voting Process for Liquid Sports Ghana Athlete of the Year Award:
Here is how the voting process for the 2016 Liquid Sports Ghana Athlete of the Year will be conducted.
A list of the top 10 athletics performances, both men and women –will firstly be selected by a panel of experts* using the Ghana Athletics Association’s end of year rankings.
The panel of experts includes the BBC’s Steve Vickers, a former Secretary General of the Ghana Athletics Association, Bawah Fuseini, the Managing Editor of www.athletics-africa.com, Yomi Omogbeja, Carole Fuchs, Managing Editor of www.africathle.com, Yemi Olus, Senior Writer at Nigeria’s Making of Champions-a Sports Media & Management Company.
From those finalists, the voting panel made up of local and international journalists, coaches, administrators and a select group of experts will select the male and female Liquid Sports Ghana Athletes of the Year respectively.

The top three athletes from the poll will be announced after which the final rankings will be released to the general public through www.liquidsportsghana.com and its social media outlets on Facebook and Twitter by April, 21st.