Author: Micheal Obeng
A five-member para-athletics team has left Ghana for Morocco’s 2024 Marrakech World Para Athletics (WPA) Grand Prix competition.
The tournament, set for April 22-28, is a qualification event for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
The competition would also allow the classification of the first Ghanaian Para Athletes in shot put and standing javelin, among others.
Other team members who have already been classified include 21-year-old Amos Ahiagah, a right-arm amputee who will compete in the 100-meter, 200-meter, 400-meter, and men’s long jump events.
19-year-old Diana Kuubetegr, also an arm amputee, will compete in the women’s 800-meter and 1,500-meter events.
Zinabu Issah, an experienced para-athlete, will also compete in the women’s sitting shot put, discus throw, and javelin events.
Speaking to the Chairman of the Ghana Para Athletics Association, Mr Foster Kwarteng, he called on corporate bodies to support the Samson Deen-led Ghana Paralympic Committee to enable many more heroes yet to gain classification to attend other Paris 2024 Paralympic Games qualification events coming up in Japan, Switzerland, and France respectively.
With the support of NPC Ghana, Ghana’s Dr Abena Tannor, a WPA international classifier, is currently in Morocco as one of the elected officials worldwide.
The African Paralympic Committee: AfPC Paris 2024 Qualification Grant sponsored the team and ten other selected athletes in Africa, a program to sponsor para-athletes across the African Region.
The president of the Ghana Paralympic Committee and African Paralympic Committee, Mr Samson Deen, has received support from the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Sports Authority to promote para-sports in Ghana through its 2020-2027 strategic plan.