Race Walking Team For Germany

Ahmed Tijani Sanni of the Ghana Armed Forces (Navy) won the 2OK final selection for the 21st IAAF World Walking Cup to be held in Naumburg Germany on 1st and 2nd may 2004. The walk was jointly organized by the Ghana Athletic Association, the National Sports Council (Cape Coast) and the Visco Walking Club in Cape Coast. Tijan won with a time of 1h 38 m.

The walk which was sponsored by Energizer, Voltic Ghana Limited, Elephant Ointment, Boakye Ansah Pharmacy, Biriwa Beach Hotel, Messiah Enterprise, Savoy Hotel, The Net Café, Parlays Biscuit and Hexagon Guest House, Started at the Mfantsipim park, through Pedu junction University junction, through Ola, Aquarium and covered some lapse at the Cape Coast sports station.

The second position was taken by Atta Bright of Kumasi with a time of 1h 41m with Benjamin Annan, from Cape Coast , Eric Nuamah from Afram Plains and , Stanley Brimah Cape Coast took the 3rd, 4th and 5th positions respectively. The five therefore qualified to make the trip to Germany to represent Ghana.

Ghana was ranked 19th at the last World Walking competition held in Torino Italy out of total of 49 countries. The team that made it to the said competition comprised of Ahmed Tijani Sannni, Musah Muda, Stanley Brimah, Iddrissu Surokaneni and Vincent Asumang for the 20k event. Ghana happened to be the only African country to be ranked at the world event.

This time around, the nation is privileged to be the only country which is sending a team from the African continent. This was indicated by Ace Walker Vincent Asumang in an interview. He re-iterated that the nation needs to be commended for being able to send a team.

Ghana will be represented in the 50k by Kofi Ali, Thomas Quaicoo, Jeandy Kwofie, Eugene Snyper and Vincent Asumang. Those to make it in the women's 20k are Jacqueline Bludo and Sarah Nyarko.

The official include James Khofi Tuah, Miss Mary Brew and one official from the Ghana Athletics Association.

The team is being coached by Dave McGorvern of U.S.A. Mr Asumang further pleaded with the G.A.A. to release Coach Albert Nukpezah to enable him offer technical assistance to the walkers, because he is the one who has been with them for the past 6 years and knows the walking terrain.

The team is expected to leave Ghana next week for a final brush-up in London and Holland. Meanwhile the two ladies (Jacqueline Bludo and Sarah Nyarko )are leaving for Kenya on a special IAAF walking training for the World Walking Cup. Meanwhile the the officials of the Visco Walking Club and the Ghana Athletics Association will meet to send the final entries. Bellow is the list of the first five results.

POSITIONS NAME TIME 1ST Ahmed Tijani Sanni 1H 38M12S

2ND Atta Bright 1H 41M 02S

3RD Benjamin Annan 1H42M 14S

4TH Eric Nuamah 1H44M 12S

5TH StanleyBrimah1H52M32S