Policewoman Grace Minta, in a thrilling finale at the 2024 World Armwrestling Championship in Moldova, has made history by clinching the coveted gold medal in the women’s 80 kg category. The packed arena erupted in cheers by the “Africa for Africa” team as Minta defeated her compatriots from Sweden, Ukraine, Germany, Turkey, and others in a nail-biting match that went into overtime.
Minta, who becomes the first Ghanaian to win a world championship medal after grabbing gold in the Master Women 80kg left arm contest, had her journey to the top nothing short of remarkable.
Gaining her first global experience at the 2023 World Combat Games in Saudi Arabia, a police officer by profession, she had dominated Africa since 2019, winning the African championship back-to-back and recently winning double gold at the 2023 African Games.
As the Ghanaian national anthem played, Minta stood proudly on the podium, her gold medal draped around her neck. Tears of joy streamed down her face as she hugged her teammates, basking in the adoration of the crowd.
“This is a dream come true!” Minta exclaimed in a post-match interview. “I’m so grateful to my President, Mr. Charles Osei Asibey, family, coaches, the Ghana Police Service, and the Ghana Armwrestling Federation for their unwavering support. This gold medal is not just for me, but for my country and the entire African armwrestling community.”
Minta’s historic win marks Ghana’s first-ever World Armwrestling Championship gold medal, sending shockwaves of excitement throughout the sporting world.
Grace Minta and the team return home on Sunday as a national hero, inspiring a new generation of armwrestlers to follow in her footsteps.
