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31.08.2007 Sports News

SWAG Big Do Tomorrow - Clash Of Titans

31.08.2007 LISTEN
By Daily Graphic

It is always a difficult choice to make when you have to choose one as the most outstanding from among a batch of excellent performers.

It is even a more arduous task when faced with the task of choosing between Black Stars captain, Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien and Commonwealth champion, high jumper Ignatius Gaisah, as Ghana's Sports Personality of the Year 2006.

In football, who deserves to be crowned the best among the best? Appiah, mates Essien or John Mensah?

That is the dilema the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) is confronted with as it honours distinguished sports personalities who excelled in their various fields of endeavours at the international level.

Coming face to face and against one another in a clash of titans, SWAG's task has been eased with fans drawn in to help it make those choices by their text polling, and by tomorrow night, when the 32nd Awards Night, sponsored by Ghana's leading cell phone company, Onetouch, is held at the Banquet Hall in Accra, the issue will have been laid to rest.

After being crowned as the best for three consecutive times, Gaisah could have taken a back seat to allow the footballers who lit the world with their performance at the World Cup to take centre stage.

But in a year that saw him win the gold at the Commonwealth Games, Ghana's first World Indoor gold and in the process broke the national record as well as another gold record at the African Athletics Championships, Gaisah's feat is no mean an achievement to be overlooked, even though his inaction this season due to injury has taken the sheen out of his impressive season last year.

However, the long jumper risks being upstaged by the footballers, led by the charismatic Stars captain, Appiah, under whose leadership the team qualified for their maiden World Cup and followed it up with a sterling performance during that competition in Germany last year.

Beyond that, his commitment to the national cause and dedication to duty has never been in question, just as his deputy, the 'Rock of Gilbratar' John Mensah, who has been the most consistent player for the Stars.

To cap that, former Stars' coach, Ratomir Dujkovic, who rarely singled out players for praise, broke his own rule and chose Mensah as his best player in the squad during the World Cup.

Though he also played no mean role in the Stars campaign, Essien's strong point was his efforts at marketing Ghana through his English club, Chelsea.

By the time the season ended, Essien was voted by the ever-increasing Chelsea fans as their Best Player, a position acceded to by both Jose Mourinho and his Chelsea teammates.

In case Gaisah misses out on the prestigious honour, he will still be compensated with the Male Athlete of the Year award as he has no contender in that category.

The atmosphere will be the usual comarade, friendly interactions, a lot to eat and drink and good music to dance to at the event which has been one of the most sought-after social nights.

Probably being one of the best places to unwind, President John Agyekum Kufour would once again grace the occasion with his presence as the Special Guest of Honour, the second time in six years.

While the two top awards have attracted a keen contest, the other award winners will have a breather as they do not have to contest against anyone.

Story by Rosalind Amoh

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