Ghana Athletics Association holds Last Chance Qualifiers

The best local athletes will today vie for inclusion into the Ghana Athletics Association's 25-man squad for the All Africa Games (AAG) when the National Lottery Authority/National Investment Bank Last Chance Qualifier gets underway at 10:00 a.m. at the El-Wak Stadium.

Top of the bill for the one- day contest will be Youth Olympic 800 metres gold medalist, Martha Bissah, and Shepherd Agbeko, who will be seeking entry into the respective 800 metres and 200 metres event at the AAG slated for September 4 in Congo Brazzaville.
 
For Martha crossing the finish line in 2.04 minutes will be enough to qualify for the games while Agbeko will need to meet the minimum requirement of 20.85 seconds in order to claim one of five available slots for the games.

Javelin specialist, Mary Zuta Nartey, will need to hit either the A Standard of qualification of 49.58m or B Standard of 48.50m in order to make the games, while in the women's 100 metres race the likes of Beatrice Gyaman, Happy Abruyah, Dorcas Gyimah, Safia Bright, Kate Agyeman, Ernestina Ayi and Johnika Koomson will be chasing down the qualification times of 11.39 seconds(A-standard) and 11.68 seconds(B-Standard) for the 2015 All African Games.

The men's 100 metres race will be contested by Emmanuel Appiah-Kubi, John Osei Kofi, Godfred Kofitse, Desmond Aryee, Stephen Opoku, Bright Tsitey, and Humphrey Adoglah whereas the men's high jump will see Roland Alena with Robert Kotei, Kofi Boison, Ezekiel Quarshie, Elikem Lumorvi and Awudu Bachela battle for honours.

Meanwhile, spectators can look forward to a battle of strength and endurance in the 5,000 metres where Prosper Goku, Kassim Mohammed, Matthew Nantieri, Godwin Adukpo, Malik Yakubu, Jonas Ayamga, Joseph Wutisman and Akuka Willian will chase down the minimum qualifying standard of 13 minutes 30 seconds.

In all, the female athletes are expected to contest four events — 100m, 200m, 800m and javelin, while their male counterparts will contest six —  100m, 200m, 400m, 5000m, high jump and shot putt.

Daily Graphic