Ghana’s national boxing team, the Black Bombers have arrived in Bangkok -Thailand for the final push of securing spots to the Paris 2024 Olympic games at the upcoming 2nd World Qualifying Tournament in Bangkok -Thailand 25th May to 2nd June,2024 at the Indoor Stadium with 51 slots available for grabs(28 for the men & 23 for the women).
Following the unsuccessful attempts in Senegal and Italy, the Bangkok tourney is the surest and final venue to clinch the needed slot for the global fiesta.
With the approval and support from the Ministry of Youth and Sports as well as the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), to participate in the final qualifiers. The boxers have gone through enough preparations at the back of the African Games success. The five (5) week special non-residential training at the Accra Sports Stadium since Wednesday, 3rd April which continued at the Bukom Boxing Arena gym seems to have toughened them enough for the Bangkok challenge.
The team will be joined in Bangkok by US based Ornella Sathoud who will feature in the women’s Middleweight -75Kg and Leicester born UK based of Ghanaian descent Mark Kodjovi Ahondjo (Super Heavyweight -92Kg+).
The five (5) Bombers who left Accra are Theophilus Kpakpo Allotey, Flyweight-51kg, Amadu Mohammed, Featherweight-57Kg, Joseph Commey,Light Welterweight-63.5Kg, Henry Malm,Light Middleweight -71Kg and Mark Kodjovi Ahondjo, Super Heavyweight -92Kg+.
The team is led by Dauda Fuseini, the 1st Vice President of Ghana Boxing Federation -(GBF) with the technical crew of Coach Ofori Asare(Head Coach), Vicent Akai Nettey(1st Assistant Coach), Elvis Robertson(2nd Assistant Coach), Edward Asante(Team Doctor) and Daniel Quartey(Physiotherapist/Masseur).
Also to join the team in the Thai capital before the tournament starts are Officials of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC).
Boxing remains the leading medal prospects for Ghana at major International competitions, having won Four (4) of the total five (5) medals the country can boast of since its participation in the Olympic games from 1952. Clement Ike Quartey- Silver in the Light Welterweight,1960 in Rome, Eddie Blay – Bronze in the Light Welterweight,1964 in Tokyo, Prince Amartey, Middleweight,1972 in Munich and Samuel Takyi, Featherweight in Tokyo 2020.
Compiled: Charles Jojo Sergius-Ephson(Communication Officer of the Ghana Boxing Federation-GBF).
GBF MEDIA
