Ghana’s 200m athletes narrowly miss podium at African Seniors Athletics Championships

Ghana’s sprinters Abdul Rasheed Saminu and Mary Boakye narrowly missed out on podium finishes in the men’s and women’s 200m events at the African Seniors Athletics Championships on Wednesday.

Saminu, competing in the men’s 200m, was initially placed third by the electronic timer with a time of 20.66 seconds. However, moments later, his position was reassigned to fourth place, as Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme was awarded the bronze.

The discrepancy arose from a handwritten timer readjusting Saminu’s time to 20.67 seconds.

This controversial decision ultimately denied the 23-year-old a bronze medal. The race was won by Liberia’s Joseph Fambulleh, who finished in 20.25 seconds, with Zimbabwe’s Tapiwanashe Makarawu taking silver in 20.51 seconds.

In the women’s 200m final, Mary Boakye also finished fourth, clocking 23.40 seconds.

The event was won by Ivory Coast’s Maca Gbai in 22.84 seconds. Gbai’s compatriot Maboundou Kone claimed silver with a time of 22.99 seconds, and Malawi’s Asimenye Simwaka took bronze at 23.05 seconds.

In the field events, Ghana’s Cadman Evans Yamoah, the reigning African Games men’s high jump champion, struggled to replicate his past success.

Yamoah, a student at the University of Central Missouri, was unable to clear the bar at 2.10 meters, exiting in the first phase alongside his compatriot Kennedy Ocansey.

Morocco’s Saad Hammouda, whom Yamoah had previously bested at the African Games, secured the gold medal with a jump of 2.15 meters.

Despite the setbacks, Ghana ended the competition with three medals, two gold and one bronze.