13th African Games: Dr Bawumia hails Ghanaian teams, individuals for exceptional performances
Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has congratulated all national teams and individuals who won various medals in their respective competitions at the just-ended 13th edition of the All-African Games in Accra.
In a Facebook post, Dr. Bawumia wrote: “The 13th African Games, Accra 2023, has been truly historic and successful for Ghana, on and off the field and tracks.”
“Hosting this prestigious African sports festival, for the first time in our nation’s history, in the midst of unforeseen challenges, which affected the global sporting calendar, has proven, once again, what Ghana can achieve with a possibility mindset.”
Accra 2023 had not only left Ghana a legacy of world-class and multi-sports facilities, which would positively impact sports development, but it had also been a launch pad for young Ghanaian athletes to make headway in their chosen professions, he said.
Dr. Bawumia said many of the athletes had also written their names in gold, by giving Ghana her biggest medal haul ever at any international sports competition.
“I extend my warmest congratulations to all our national teams and individuals, who have made Ghana proud by winning medals in their respective competitions.
“This is just the beginning. The future of Ghana Sports is promising, with more opportunities in the offing for our talented youth.”
Accra 2023 marked the first time Ghana hosted the Games. Ghana secured a remarkable 68 medals, comprising 19 golds, 29 silvers, and 20 bronzes, surpassing its previous best of 27 medals attained during the 1973 Games in Lagos, Nigeria.
Medals won in each sport
The total medals Ghana won in each discipline are as follows: arm wrestling – 41 (8 gold, 19 silver, and 14 bronze), boxing – 7 (4 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze), athletics – 6 (3 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze), football – 2 gold, weightlifting – 3 (1 gold, 2 silver), hockey – 1 silver, taekwondo – 3 (2 silver, 1 bronze), swimming – 2 (1 silver, 1 bronze), and volleyball – 1 bronze medal.
Ghana finished sixth out of 53 participating nations, an improvement over its 15th position in the 2019 Games in Rabat. Ghana’s most popular sport, football made history with both male and female teams winning gold at stake in their respective categories over three weeks.
The 13th edition of the All African Games 2023 came to a close in Accra on Saturday, March 23, 2024, after two weeks of exciting competitions.
Some 5,000 athletes participated in this year’s African Games in 30 disciplines – an increase from the 2019 African Games, which offered 26 sports.
The 2015 Games had 22 disciplines. The 30 disciplines included eight Olympic qualifying events, 15 non-qualifying, and seven demonstration sports that showcased emerging trends and disciplines.
The Olympic qualifying events comprised swimming, athletics, badminton, cycling, tennis, table tennis, wrestling, and triathlon.
Demonstration sports included e-Sports, mixed martial arts, sambo, and scrabble, promising what the African Union calls a “glimpse into the future of sports entertainment”.
One of the most significant legacies for Ghana is the construction of the new $145 million (€132.5 million) Borteyman Sports Complex, which comes with a 1,000-seater Olympic-sized pool, 10-lane competition pool, and an eight-lane warm-up pool.
The African Games 2023 was also seen as a form of preparation for the 2024 Olympic Games, which will take place in Paris in July 2024.
The African Games, formerly known as the All-African Games or the Pan-African Games, are a continental multi-sport event held every four years.
It is organized by the African Union (AU) with the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and the Association of African Sports Confederations (AASC).
