ECOWAS Games: Ghana grabs gold at last
Ghana's male handball side came from behind on serveral occasions to defeat host country Nigeria by 32-30 in the final of the handball competition at the Indoor Sports Complex in Abuja last Friday.
The Ghanaians, despite their numerical disadvantage due to a red card, fought gallantly to overpower the domineering Nigerians.
Earlier in the week, Ghana lost by the same margin to Nigeria by 32-34, but went on to beat Niger 27-16 to qualify for the final.
Their female handball counterparts on the hand placed fourth while Nigeria beat Benin 33-25 to pick gold. Burkina Faso won bronze with Niger placing fifth.
Ghana's 4×100 team comprising Gyimah Dorcas, Beatrice Gyaman, Anipa Sefakor and Janet Amponsah did the nation proud by finishing first in 45.94s to increase Ghana's gold tally to two, beating Nigeria's relay team (46.30s) to second position, with Burkina's(48.91s), Senegal and Benin followed in that order.
It was Nigeria's Noah Akwu who won the men 400 metre race at a recording a time of 46.02sec, with fellow Nigerian Abiola Onakoya (46.50s) placing second and Ghana's Mohammed Aboukari picked bronze in a time of 47.65s.
Nigeria again dominated the women's 400m final race by placing first and second respectively, while Ghana, Benin, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Nigeria followed in that order.
Nigeria extended their dominace to the men's 4×100 with Burkina Faso and Ghana placing second and third respectively.
Benin won the men High jump final event with Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Senegal following in that order.
The women shot put final saw Nigeria reigning supreme, with Burkina Faso, Benin, Nigeria and Guinea trailing in that order.
In the male shot put final, Mali placed first, while Nigeria, Benin, Burkina, Senegal and Togo followed.
Togo won the 3,000 men final race with Nigeria, Niger and Guinea following in that order. Ghana won the women's 200m heat 1, with Nigeria, Benin, Senegal, Guinea and Burkian Faso following.
Nigeria, Ghana, Mali, Benin and Nigeria followed in that order in the women's 200m heat 2.
Senegal wrestled spiritedly to win the traditional wrestling contest against Nigeria, with Niger and Togo finishing second, third and fourth respectively.
Below is the medal table of the competition as at Saturday 11 September 2010;