Ghana bids farewell to young athletes headed for Africa Youth Development camp

The Ministry of Sports and Recreation has officially farewelled two young Ghanaian athletes and two coaches selected for the 2026 Africa Youth Athlete Development Project, a high-performance training camp scheduled for Nairobi from April 5 to 12.

The camp serves as a key preparatory stage ahead of the IOC Youth Olympic Games in Senegal.

The departing athletes are Gladys Boateng, known as “Gaza,” from St. Louis Senior High School, and Blessed Junior Owusu from St. Hornet Seminary. Their recent standout performances earned them places in the intensive training programme. Accompanying them are experienced coaches Mustapha Ibrahim of Effiduasi Senior High School and Francisca Azumah Zanore of Azantilow Senior High Technical School in Bolgatanga.

Government Backing

At a farewell ceremony in Accra, Sports Minister Kofi Iddie Adams assured the delegation of government support.

“Congratulations on your achievements so far,” Adams said. “This training opportunity has come because there is still room for improvement. Make good use of the exposure, and I am confident you will not disappoint the nation.”

The minister urged the athletes to maintain discipline across all aspects of their development.

“Be disciplined in your training, eating, sleep, and academics,” he added. “If you do this, your journey to higher heights will be much easier.”

Adams also encouraged the coaches to fully utilise the opportunity to enhance their technical capacity, urging them to acquire new knowledge and skills to share with colleagues back home.

Stakeholder Support

Ghana Olympic Committee President Richard Akpokavie attended the ceremony alongside Ghana Athletics President Bawa Fuseini, Ministry Chief Director Wilhelmina Asamoah, and other officials.

Akpokavie commended Ghana Athletics for maintaining strong ties with the International Olympic Committee and World Athletics, calling the selection “a good result for Ghana sports.” He also advised the athletes to balance education with sports, noting that life after active competition deserves equal attention.

Programme Focus

The Africa Youth Athlete Development Project aims to prepare young athletes across the continent for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. The programme delivers structured education using World Athletics CECS content, covering youth coaching techniques, safeguarding, anti-doping, nutrition, and personal brand development.