A sensational finish by sprinter Shepherd Agbeko and Martha Bissah’s dominant display marked the high point of Saturday’s Third National Circuit Athletics Championships organised by the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA) at the El-Wak Sports Stadium.
The duo’s magnificent performance secured them comfortable places in the final leg of the Circuit Championship scheduled for the Tamale Sports Stadium in the second week of August.
Abgeko, the pride of the Ghana Armed Forces (GFA) pulled off in an amazing fashion and maintained a decent composure to win the highly competitive men’s 200m event in a time of 21.304 seconds, leaving in his trail a competitive pack of Bright Tsitey of the Greater Accra Region in second position with a time of 21.752 seconds.
Ashanti regions Stephen Opoku recorded a time of 21.774 to follow in a respectable third position.
So was Ghana’s Olympic pride and Greater Accra region’s Bissah who dominated her event, winning in a time of 4.37.562, beating Ashanti region’s Beatrice Konama (4.47.342).
Bissah led the pack right after the starter’s gun was fired and much as her competitors tried to narrow the distance, that strategy proved costly as they lacked the stamina to contain her.
Former Milo Marathon winner, Millicent Boadi, representing the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) failed to live up to expectation as she was beaten by a younger Zakat Larriba from Upper East region in the 5,000m women’s event.
Larriba won in a time of 17.30 seconds with Boadi following in a 17.35 seconds. Azuure Elizabeth also from the Upper East region followed in third position with a time of 17.40 seconds.
Ghana National Fire Service’s (GNFS) Diana Tetteh put herself in a pole position for the Circuit finals when she won in a time of 15.280 seconds the 100m women hurdle.
She was trailed by Jacqueline Badu Pokua from the Ashanti region in a time of 15.378 seconds and Ghana Prisons Service (Reformers) Rebecca Acheampong in a time of 15.985 seconds.
Team Greater Accra established their dominance at the leg of the Circuit with Robertson Tay winning the male 100m hurdle with a mark of 43.69 and followed by Daniel Eshun (Reformers) in second position with a mark of 43.68 seconds and Emmanuel Asante from Police, throwing a mark of 43.47.
The women discus event saw Mary Zutah covering a distance of 33.75 to emerge winner while Ayishatu Umaru and Gifty Kyeremeh from Volta and Ashanti regions followed in second and third positions respectively.
Ashanti region ruled the 400m men hurdle with Duncan Agyeman and Dominic Dogbey running times of 54.495 seconds and 55.437 seconds to occupy the top two spots respectively while Isaac Nii Lamptey from the Ghana Police Service followed in third with a time of 56.962.
Western region’s first gold medal was recorded by Deborah Acquah in the women long jump with a mark of 5.65. She was followed by the Ashanti region duo of Latifa Ali and Felicia Frempong with marks of 5.44 and 5.35 respectively.
Reformers’ Shawkia Iddrissu won the women 400m in a time of 56.031 to brighten his Circuit finals chances with Ashanti region’s duo of Salomey Agyei and Ruth Marfo followed in second and third positions with times of 56.913 and 57.093 respectively.
The event ended on an electrifying note with fierce competition in the women 100m event which GIS’ Dorcas Gyimah brushed aside a stiff challenge from Safia Bright to emerge the sprint queen.
Gyimah narrowed the gap by the 50m mark and came at par in the final quarter of the race before pulling an 11.761 time to overcome Bright who settled for second position with a time of 11.779.
Happy Abruyah from the Ashanti region followed in third position.
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