Doha IAAF Games: Africa’s track and field stars in global medal hunt

Ghanaian viewers can watch as athletes sprint towards their goal for the IAAF World Championship starting this evening in live on DStv and GOtv. Unlike previous years where Kenya dominated the charge at the world athletics championship, this year’s edition is likely to see a multi-pronged challenge from several African countries including Ghana.

The event takes place in Doha, Qatar from Friday 27 September and concludes on Sunday 6 October, with the action to be broadcast live on DStv and GOtv on a special pop-up channel SuperSport deployed for athletic lovers across the continent.

Ghanaian sprinter and member of the gold-medal-winning quartet at the recent African Games will be in action on the opening day of the IAAF World Championships here.Joseph Paul Amoah who everyone calls Joe Paul’s personal best of 10.01sec puts him into a confident mood ahead of his race today. Sprint sensation Hor Halutie will be the Ghana flag bearer at the opening ceremony tonight from 8pm which will air live on DStv and GOtv.

The Ghana will be represented by a 10-member team at the IAAF World Championships by African 4x100m relay gold medalists’ quartet of Sean Safo-Antwi, Benjamin Azamati, Martin Owusu-Antwi, Joseph Paul Amoah and reserve Edwin Kwabla Gadayi, Men’s 100m – Joseph Paul Amoah and 4 x 100m Women’s Relay – Gemma Acheampong, Deborah Acquah, Halutie Hor, Flings Owusu-Agyapong and Persis William-Mensah.

East Africa and West Africa are likely to dominate the charge of Africa, but Botswana’s Nijel Amos, the Olympic 800m silver medallist, will be a strong contender. In July he ran a scorching 1:41.89 in Monaco, his fastest time in seven years, so brings outstanding form to Doha.

Meanwhile, Commonwealth 100m champion Akani Simbine will also be out to stake a claim among the world’s best. The South African dipped under 10 seconds in Berlin last month but will probably have to produce somewhere around his 9.92 season best to contend for a medal in a strong field headed by new sensation Christian Coleman of the US.

Other continental stars to keep an eye on include Nigerian’s Tobi Amusan, the 2018 Commonwealth and 2019 African 100m hurdles champion; Selemon Barega, Ethiopia’s 19-year-old 5000m phenomenon; Kenya’s Beatrice Kipkoech, who last year shattered the 3000m steeplechase world record; reigning 5000m world champion Hellen Obiri of Kenya; and, Ivory Coast’s Marie Jose Talou, who will attempt the sprint double, having bagged silver in both 100m and 200m at the last edition, in London.