Professor Francis Dodoo, President of the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA), says athletes who will represent Ghana at this year’s Olympics are very much poised in giving out their best, hence there is no need not to put extra pressure on them.
Ghana’s Track and Field athletes including Joseph Paul Amoah, Benjamin Azamati, Nadia Eke as well as the 4×100 relay team have all qualified for the mega sporting event as they quest to win honours for the country.
In an interaction with the press via Zoom, Professor Doudo said the athletes were
hungrier to do their best at the upcoming games and the GAA had also provided them with the best training conditions to excel at the Games.
According to Professor Dodoo, it wouldn’t be a failure if the athletes fail to win any medals at the upcoming Tokyo Games but believed that they were very determined to make Ghana proud.
Professor Dodoo was however elated with the progress of the sport over the past years as they had been able to take athletics all around the country.
He revealed that the scholarship incentive that had been set up for athletes was one of the major reasons athletes keep getting better with over 60%-70% of national records broken in recent months.
He was grateful to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Sports Authority as well as sponsors who had provided the needed support for athletes as they prepare for the Games.
Professor Andrews Owusu, Athletes Coordinator for the upcoming games said their preparation for the Tokyo Games was going smoothly despite the challenges they experienced during qualification amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Training is going well and we have numerous productive sessions and I really like the fact that they are working hard and there is a sense of togetherness despite the challenges and are looking good and healthy,” he said.
Captain Joseph Paul Amoah who would be competing in the 200 meter race and 4×100 relay at the Tokyo Games said they felt very comfortable in camp and they were utilizing the resources available in order to produce the best results for Ghana at the upcoming Tokyo Games.
