The Ghana National Armwrestling team, Golden Arms, paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Youth and Sports on Tuesday, 3rd September, 2024, after successfully winning gold at the recently concluded World Armwrestling Championship in Moldova. The purpose of the meeting, according to the Ghana Armwrestling Federation, was to show appreciation to the minister and his ministry for their continuous support to Ghana and to present the gold medal won by Grace Mintah.
The team was led by the President of the Ghana Armwrestling Federation, Charles Osei Asibey, Vice President Mr. Kofi Agyekum, General Secretary Jessy Agyapong, and a board member. The Golden Arms captain Edward Asamoah, Godwin Sackey, Blessed Abeka Nunoo, Mabel Yeboah, and the Golden Girl, Grace Mintah. The officiating officials, who were the only African referees at the World Championship, were Mr. Hussein Akueteh Addy, Nii Otoo Larkyne and Abigail Fremah.
The Minister of Youth and Sports congratulated the team for their outstanding performance during the African Games, where they won 41 medals, and their unprecedented feat at the World Armwrestling Championship. “Let me congratulate you, Ghana Armwrestling, for your outstanding performance during the African Games. I had no challenge at all when the opportunity came for you to represent us again at the World Stage. I thought it was an opportunity for us to give it to the athletes, so once they get there, the exposure. I didn’t even know they would go there to win a medal again, not to mention gold, so I want to once again congratulate you on behalf of the president, the entire team, and the gold medallist for bringing glory to our nation and for lifting our flag very high in Moldova.”
The Minister again pledged his support for wrestling and other less funded sports. “As government and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, we will continue to support the less sponsored sports, and wrestling happens to be one. So, we will continue to give you equitable support for all the lesser-known sports so that you can also exhibit the talent God has given you.”
He challenged all federations to make good use of the sports facilities and equipment procured during the African Games, tagging it, “Let’s build tomorrow’s champions today.”
The President of Ghana Armwrestling, Charles Osei Asibey, pleaded with the Hon. Minister to help the federation secure a training centre so they can discover more talents. “Checking through my records, I don’t remember Ghana winning a World Championship gold medal, and this is unprecedented. I feel that the ministry should help us celebrate not just wrestling but the gold medalist. Secondly, for the purposes of development, wrestling needs a training centre, primarily; it is not just Charles Osei Asibey or the board; we need a training centre.”
The gold medallist, Grace Mintah, after presenting the medal to the minister, said she felt happy for winning the gold medal for Ghana and stated she couldn’t afford to disappoint at the World stage, as it was her second World Championship.
“I feel so happy for winning a gold medal for my country, Ghana, and I wasn’t expecting to win a medal because there were many competitors from 61 countries. But because I had been at the World Championship before and couldn’t win anything for Ghana, it would have been like losing hope for us. So I decided to give it my all and raise the flag of Ghana high, and I did all I could to win a medal for Ghana, and God was on my side, and I was able to win gold for Ghana.”
