The National Weightlifting team, Black Cranes, arrived at the Kotoka International Airport on Wednesday, April 30, after participating in the African Senior Weightlifting Championship in Mauritius. The team was led by Gabriel Owusu, who won three silver medals in the men’s +109kg category. Other team members included Paul Agramah (5th place in men’s 55kg), Marrie Koko Agbah Hughes (6th place in women’s 87kg), Sylvanus Kwame Kugblenu (who faced technical issues and couldn’t compete in the men’s 89kg), and Daniel Darko.
The team’s journey to Mauritius was marked by challenges, including limited training time. Gabriel Owusu described the experience, saying, “The journey was horrible. We faced numerous challenges, including being denied training time. We had to intervene with officials to secure two days of training before competing against athletes who had trained for almost a year or two.”
Marrie Koko Agbah Hughes shared her own struggles, saying, “After months of preparation, I was suddenly removed from the start list and had to scramble to get back on just a day before competing. The mix-up affected our performance, and I believe we could have done better if our names hadn’t been removed from the list.”
Despite these obstacles, the Black Cranes’ performance showcases their dedication and resilience. The team looks forward to building on this experience and continuing to represent Ghana with pride.
