Ghana’s weightlifting team won a total of 17 medals at the just-ended African Junior and Youth Weightlifting Championship held at the Ga Mashie Hall of the Trust Sports Emporium in Accra.
The team secured six gold, eleven bronze medals at the continental event, which featured over 200 athletes and officials from 16 African countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Tunisia.
Emmanuel Amo Boateng was Ghana’s standout performer, claiming three gold medals in the boys’ 71kg division after dominating the snatch, clean and jerk, and total lift events.
Salim Abdul added to the success, winning three gold medals in the boys’ 110kg category with a dominant performance that highlighted Ghana’s strength in the heavier divisions, while his teammates contributed further to the nation’s overall medal haul.
The five-day championship, held from August 18 to 22, marked Ghana’s debut as host of the African Junior and Youth Weightlifting Championship.
Ghana’s 17-medal haul secured the nation a place among the top-performing countries at the event, showcasing the remarkable progress of its youth and junior lifters.
Officials of the Ghana Weightlifting Federation hailed the achievement as a solid foundation to build on ahead of future continental and global competitions.