The National Sports Authority (NSA) has launched the 2022 National Cross-Country race with the theme: “Running Towards the 13th African Games, Accra 2023.”

The one-day race has been fixed for Saturday, March 26, in the Eastern Region. This year’s event is in collaboration with the Accra 2023 All-Africa Games Local Organizing Committee (LOC), Ghana Athletics Association (GAA) and other stakeholders.

Professor Peter Twumasi, Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA) at the launch said, this year’s competition was unique, because winners would receive their packages from the Vice President Dr, Mahamudu Bawumia who has showed interest in the competition.

Twumasi said the competition has over the years identified talents which includes Belinda Segbobu, Afful Basit Sharifa Moro, Aziz Mohammed and so on now the lead athletes competing for Ghana. He hoped that this year’ events would help identified more talented athletes to be added into the National Team, since the entire country would be part-taking and it was part of other sporting events to be organized by the NSA and its partners in preparations towards the 2023 All-Africa Games to be hosted in Ghana.

Six athletes each would be representing (male and female) from the 16 regions, with the maximum of two coaches and minimum of one coach, administrators in all they would be expecting 272 people aside that Minister of Youth and Sports, NSA Management, representatives of the Loc Organizing Committee, Ghana Athletic Association, the MP for the Akyem Oda etc, to be present.

Dr. Kwaku Ofosu Asare Chairman of the LOC said the organisation was hopeful that Ghana would be able to least win a lot of medals in the All-Africa games next year and at least to become 5th in Africa. The Member of Parliament of the Akyem Oda also thanked the government for giving his constituency a great opportunity to host such an important event.

Dr Kwaku said on behalf of the people of Akyem Oda “I say a very big thank you to the government of Ghana,” this event would boost the economy in the region.

Story by: Rihana Adam