National Athletes underline credentials at Sea and Shore National Athletics Championship

Ghanaian athletes underlined their readiness for the upcoming 2014 Commonwealth Games as the maiden edition of the Sea and Shore National Athletics Championship came to an end at the Baba Yara Sports stadium on Wednesday, 25th June.
This inaugural Championship has been extremely successful, and has helped Ghana-based athletes to improve their personal bests; the most notable records have come in the persons of Vivian Mills, Martha Bissah, Solomon Afful, John O’Brien and Shaukia Iddrisu, all of whom are expected to be Commonwealth Games bound.
The competition, which was sponsored by Sea &and Shore Services (Gh.)Company Ltd and Interplast, saw awards given to the top three athletes in each event, as reflected by the points amassed over the earlier competitions in the season.
Athletes at each of the previous competitions in Wa, Sekondi and Koforidua, were awarded points based on their final positions.
Only the top 8 point scorers in each event were invited for the Circuit final, with each event going into a straight final.
The one day event was attended by both home based and foreign based athletes.
The foreign based athletes competed on non-scoring basis while the 8 top athletes in each event engaged in a straight final.
Overall winner: Emmanuel Asante Ofori
Emmanuel Asante Ofori amassed 66 points to emerge overall winner of the Circuit Finals, which first took place at Wa, in the Upper West Region, Sekondi and Koforidua.
The Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) won the discus throw with 47.80m toss, and came second in the shot put with 16.69m on the day, having won previous competitions in Sekondi and Koforidua.
“Every athlete who has competed on the Ghanaian terrain will be surprised that the winning awards were that huge,” he said.
“Even when you compete for the nation it is very difficult to get your winning bonus. People will be motivated to come for the next competition.”
“I was more interested that competitions were being held continuously. In my athletics career, since 1997, I have never competed in even two competitions in a year.”
“It is the biggest thing that has happened in Ghana Athletics. I want to congratulate Prof Dodoo, Marc and the GAA,” he concluded.

Discus Throw

Discus Throw Final
Position Name Performance Affiliation Point
1. Emmanuel Asante-Ofori 47.80 Police 20
2. Awudu Bachela 45.05 UG 16
3. Yakubu Wahab 40.72 Western 12
4. Daniel Eshun 40.40 Prisons 10
5. Alhassan Ridwan 38.65 Prisons 8
6. Abubakari Abdul-Mumin 34.40 Northern 6
7. Rexford Bugase 32.79 Upper East 4

Teenagers break national record
Upper West teenagers, Sakat Lariba and Elizabeth Azuure, had already shown much consistency on the track all season, having emerged victors in three editions of the inaugural Sea and Shore National Athletics Circuit Championships in Wa, Sekondi and Koforidua.
But it took a while for officials and athletes, and indeed everyone in the stadium, to come to terms with what the two Junior High School students had achieved after dominating and finishing the race aplomb.
The duo threw officials and fans into frenzy after erasing the 22-year old national 3000m record held by Gifty Abankwa, who set the old mark of 9:46.8 on 29 March 1992 in Accra.
Sakat (15) and Elizabeth (16) won the top two places in the women’s 3000m event in 8:39.40 and 8:46.47, respectively, in sunny condition at the Baba Yara Stadium.
3000m
Name Performance Affiliation Point
Sakat Lariba 8:39.40 Upper East
Elizabeth Azuure 8:46.47 Upper east
Agnes Marmah 9:07.01 Prisons
Elizabeth Bortsor 9:26.65 Police
Sandra Sagbil 9:50.15 Upper East
Patience Ayine 9:52.66 Prisons
Sarah Owu DNS Central
Gloria Boakye DNS ASH

400m Final:
In the 400m final, John O’Brien broke new ground after running a personal best of 46.91 behind eventual winner and Texas based Daniel Gyasi (46.71s), who run the race on non-scoring basis.
Kwadwo Acheampong and Kwadwo Ampem Tuffour also recorded personal bests in taking second and third place in 47.11 and 47.39, respectively, with Nicolas Fordjour coming in 4th in 47.50.
400m Final
Position Name Performance Affiliation Point
1. Daniel Gyasi 46.71 (NS) USA
2. John O’Brien 46.91(PB) GAR
3. Kwadwo Acheampong 47.11 Police
4. Ampem Kwadwo Tuffuor 47.39 Prisons
5. Fordjour Nicholas Asiedu 47.50 ASH
6. Robert Annak 47.80 (NS) UCC
7. Faizal Saaka 47.83 Prisons
8. Emmanuel Nimo 47.97 Prisons
9. Christian Afful DNS UG
10. Sulemana Awal DNS Prisons

Women’s Javelin Throw:
Mary Zuta threw a personal best of 51.55m to win the Women’s javelin throw and also clinch the overall prize in the event. She was followed in second place by African Youth Games team member Anastasia Mensah with a PB 45.37m and Comfort Otubea in third.

Mills joy in 200m Final
Vivian Mills capped her impressive displays throughout the season by winning the 200m event and crossing the line in a time of 23.97 ahead of Shawkia Iddrisu 24.65 and African Youth Games 100m silver medallist Janet Mensah in 24.74.
Mills is the leading home-based sprinter in the 200m. She is also the fastest Ghanaian woman anywhere over 400m this season.

200m Final
Position Name Performance Wind Affiliation Point
1. Vivian Mills 23.97 -00.10 Fire Service
2. Shawkia Iddrisu 24.65 -00.10 Prisons
3. Janet Mensah 24.74 -00.10 ASH
4. Kate Agyemang 24.85 -00.10 ASH
5. Safia Bright 24.90 -00.10 ASH
6. Latifa Ali 25.62 -00.10 ASH
7. Beatrice Gyaman DNS -00.10 Fire Service
8. Diana Tetteh DNS -00.10 Fire Service

Women’s Triple Jump
African Youth Games 5th place finisher Felicia Frimpong leapt to a new PB of 12.38m in the triple jump. US based Nadia Eke jumped 12.85m in the same event on non-scoring basis.

Women’s 800m Final:
Martha Bissah comfortably won the Women’s 800m final in a time of 2:08.19. Kumasi based athlete shot into the lead right from the starting gun and never looked in danger of relinquishing her position as she won the overall prize in the event. Salomey Agyei and Saviour Boadiwaa captured second and third place respectively in 2:13.03 and 2:14.32.

800m
Position Name Performance Affiliation Point
1. Martha Bissah 2:08.19 ASH
2. Salomey Agyei 2:13.03 ASH
3. Saviour Boadiwaa 2:14.32 Prisons
4. Joycelyn Assafuah 2:16.73 Western
5. Rita Luonab 2:22.72 Police
6. Rosina Titi 2:27.40 Upper East
7. Helena Masotuo 2:28.22 ASH
8. Abigail Teye T Bajo 2:36.34 Eastern
100m Invitational Women Final (NS)
The Circuit Finals came to a climax in the final event of the day, the invitational 100m women’s race. Janet Amponsah edged out Flings Owusu-Agyapong in the closest of races, in a time of 11.52s. Flings came in second in in 11.53s, with Beatrice Gyaman returning a season’s best of 11.80s in third placce, a B-qualifier for the African Senior Championship.
Janet overcame a terrible start before catching up with the rest of the pack midway through the race.
The race brought together the country’s best sprinters, both home and abroad, for the first time this season.

100m Invitational Women Final (NS)
Name Performance Wind Affiliation
Janet Amponsah 11.52 -00.30 USA
Flings Joyner Owusu Agyapong 11.53 -00.30 USA
Beatrice Gyaman 11.80 -00.30 Fire Service
Doreen Agyei 11.88 -00.30 USA
Gemma Acheampong 12.00 -00.30 USA
Janet Mensah 12.15 -00.30 ASH
Safia Bright 12.33 -00.30 Prisons
Shawkia Iddrisu 12.40 -00.30 Prisons


OTHER RESULTS:

Long Jump
Name Performance Wind Affiliation Point
Isaac Nkansah Agyekum 7.27 Police 10
Abubakar Mohammed 7.18 Western 8
Kwadwo Wireko 7.13 Fire Service 6
Emmanuel Ackon 7.12 Prisons 5
Peter Ackah 7.05 Ashanti 4
Richard Seklorwu 6.76 Ashanti 3
Thomas Quarcoo 6.60 Eastern 2
Desmond Bennin 6.54 Eastern 1
Charles Amankwa 5.80 Police 1

400m Hurdles Final
Name Performance Affiliation
Rashidatu Abubakar 1:01.37 Ashanti
Diana Tetteh 1:05.31 Fire Service
Rebecca Acheampong 1:06.67 Prisons
Loretta Buchem DNS UG
Sharon Tetteh DNS UG
Mercy Kornyo DNS Police
Abigail Oppong DNS Police