Fifth National Cross-Country Race at Savelugu to Feature 216 Athletes.
The 2023 National Cross-Country race, scheduled to be held on February 25, is expected to have a total of 216 athletes competing at Savelugu in the Northern Region of Ghana.
The National Sports Authority (NSA) has collaborated with Ghana Athletics and the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) to organise the competition, with the theme of “Building Team for Accra 2023 African Games and Beyond.” Twelve athletes from each region, as well as the Security Services and the Ghana University Sports Association (GUSA), will compete for a chance to represent Ghana in the 13th African Games and other international events.
During the launch of the competition, Mr Seth Panwum, the Board Chairman of the National Sports Authority, commended the NSA’s management for keeping the event relevant. He highlighted the impact of the competition on the development of Ghanaian athletes, such as William Amponsah and Aziz Mohammed from the Central Region, Atia from the North East, Juliana Lareba from the Upper East, and Abdulai Ramatu from the Upper West. He also urged the Ministry of Youth and Sports to continue supporting the competition and help provide resources for athlete participation.
The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the 13th African Games, Dr Kwaku Ofosu-Asare, applauded the NSA’s support for the committee in its efforts to ensure Ghana had a strong team for the upcoming continental competition.
He mentioned the success of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and how the young man who won the men’s division at the 2022 NSA-organised cross-country event in Oda represented Ghana honourably.
The Director General of the NSA, Professor Peter Twumasi, emphasised the importance of sports development and expressed his dedication to contributing to the success story of producing athletes who would win laurels for Ghana in the future. He praised the regional heads of the NSA for organising a successful inter-district national cross-country event in all 16 regions in Ghana.
Rewarded by the Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will be given to winners of the 2023 National Cross-Country race.