Ghana first participated at the Commonwealth Games in 1954, when it was known by its colonial name, Gold Coast and has since competed at sixteen Commonwealth Games, missing only the 1986 Games in Edinburgh.
Ghana has won fifty-seven medals at the Commonwealth Games, including fifteen gold.
Vancouver 1954
In the 1954 Vancouver Games, the Gold Coast delegation was made up of twelve men – nine athletes and three officials.
The Gold Coast team members were: Emmanuel Christian Nyarko, captain, Gabriel Sowah Laryea, vice-captain; Benjamin O. Laryea, Henry Ofori- Nyarko, William E. Kwarteng, T. H. Amaning, John K. Quartey, George S. Armah and Richard Ampadu. The three officials were: A K. Konuah, manager; Peter Renner, coach and P. D. Quartey Jnr, secretary of the Gold Coast Amateur Sports Council, who accompanied the team on a study tour. He was in Vancouver to study the organization of such games with the view to helping to improve the standard of organisation at athletics meetings held in Gold Coast.
The Gold Coast Olympic and British Empire and Commonwealth Games Association, at a meeting held at the Sports Stadium, decided to apply to the Sports Council for Mr. Quartey to accompany the delegation to Vancouver, and the application was accepted.
The team left Accra on 14 July 1954 to London, where they stopped for a few hours. From there they joined another flight to New York, where they again joined another plane to Seattle and then finally in Vancouver.
On arrival they were met at the Vancouver airport by Mr. Blair Clerk, General Manager of the Games and other officials. During the Customs and Immigration formalities, the team were served with hot coffee. Mr Konduah, the team’s manager, remarked that it was far easier to get a cup of coffee in Canada than a cup of tea.
, At the Games Village, the team was introduced to Dr. Norman MacKenzie, President of the University of British Columbia: Major General Mac-Kenzie, the Camp Commandant and his assistant, Brigadier MacLarean.
Teams from Commonwealth, including the Gold Coast participated in the flag raising ceremony on Monday, July 26, 1954 at the Empire Games Village near Vancouver.
Mr. Stanley Smith, the General Chairman of the Executive Committee, Vancouver Games, in a welcome speech expressed Canadian pleasure and appreciation at the effort and sacrifice made by the countries who had sent teams, especially in view off the great distances travelled by some of the athletes.
The flags of the various countries represented at the Games were then raised and Mr. P.D. Quartey hoisted the Gold Coast flag to the masthead. A placard bearing the name of the Gold Coast was then handed over to Nyarko, the Gold Coast Captain which he carried at the opening ceremony of the Games.
A series of speeches made by team representatives followed and Mr. P.D. Quartey replied on behalf of the Gold Coast team. He thanked Canada for its role as host country for the Commonwealth to participate in the Games.
The ceremony ended with the distribution to members of all teams of a souvenir “welcome kit” containing a games badge and general information about the Games and about the City of Vancouver.
Henry Ofori-Nyarko and John Quartey competed in the 220 yards and 440 yards, and were both eliminated in the first round in the 220 yards, but Henry Ofori- Nyarko made it to the semis of the 440 yards.
John Quartey also competed in the 440 yards but couldn’t make it beyond the first round.
In the 4×400 yards relay, the quartet of Edward Nyarko, Henry Ofori -Nyarko, John Quartey and Richard Ampadu finished fifth behind England, Canada, Australia and Kenya.
In the field events, Long Jumper, Benjamin Laryea placed seventh while George Armah finished fourth in the men’s triple jump.
Gabriel Sowah Laryea, Gold Coast 100 yards champion was admitted into hospital in Vancouver after complaining of fever and stomach pains. A cablegram received from Mr. A.K. Konuah stated that Laryea was under closed medical observation, but he could not recover on time to compete in the Games
Gold Coast Athletes are feted
The nine Gold Coast athletes including two out of three officers who arrived in the country from Vancouver after taking part in the British Empire and Commonwealth Games were entertained by a joint organisation of the Gold Coast Sports Council and the Empire and the Commonwealth Games Committee at the Rodger Club in Accra.
Mr. P.D. Quartey, the General Manager of the team, stayed behind in Britain where he learned more about the organisation of the sport.
Speaking at the party, on behalf of the Sports Council, Sir Leslie McCartthy, Chairman of the G.C.S.C; said that he was happy that the athletes had returned home safely to their parents.
Good Ambassadors
He added that although they were not able to win a medal they had been very good ambassadors to the country. They had, in his own opinion done their best.
Sir Leslie then said: “We may have not achieve enough on the track. But we have also done our best as ambassadors”.
Mr. Richard Akwei, Acting Chairman of the Gold Coast Olympic Committee in a brief speech in support of Sir Leslie, said it was no doubt that the nine athletes who represented the country at the Empire Games had been good sportsmen.
He appealed to Gold Coast Sports Council as well as the Government to provide more training grounds for the purpose of training athletes as well as other games.
First Medal
Gold Coast first medal came in the Cardiff 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff in the men’s High Jump. Robert Kotei won bronze, the gold went to Ernest Haisley of Jamaica and Chilla Porter of Australia took the silver.
First Gold Medal
Ghana’s first Gold came in Perth 1962 where Ghana won three gold medals and nine medals overall. Mike Ahey won the first gold medal for Ghana at the seventh Games by setting a Commonwealth long jump record with a leap of 8.05 jump ahead of New Zealand’s Dave Norris and Wellesley Clayton of Jamaica.
Ahey, then 23-year old member of the Ghana Arm Forces set a record in the Uganda Special independence athletic meeting in Kampala in the previous month. Boxers Eddied Blay and Clement Quartey won gold in the lightweight and light welterweight categories respectively.
Ghana established herself as the strongest boxing nation in the Commonwealth when she won two gold and four silver medals in boxing in Perth.
Ghana’s greatest feat was achieved by skipper Clement Quartey in the light welterweight division. Clement, the 1960 Olympic silver medalist, easily outpointed Scotland’s Dick McTaggart, the only man ever to win Olympic, Commonwealth and European titles, and earned a gold medal.
The Ghanaian seemed so pleased by his win that he collapsed in the ring. A doctor was called and Quartey was roused with smelling salts, while the crowd stood stunned.
First Female Participant
The first woman to represent Ghana at the Commonwealth Games was Helen Quartey -Papafio who took part in women’s 100 yards and 80m hurdles in Cardiff 1958. She couldn’t go beyond the first round in both events.
First Ghanaian Female medalist
Alice Anum, Ghana’s Atlanta and number one sprint – queen became first Ghanaian woman to win a medal when she won silver in 100m in Edinburg 1970. Alice and her Australian rival Marrion Hoffman, who finished third, hit the tape neck to neck and the judges had to call for a photo before awarding Alice the second position. The Gold medal went to another Australian Raelene Boyle. Alice also won silver in the 200m.
Ghana is still seeking its first female gold medalist in the Commonwealth Games.
Medals
The most medals Ghana have won in a single games is nine (Perth 1962, Kingston 1966 and Christchurch 1974). Ghana won five gold medals in Kingston 1966 and to date it is the most gold medals the country have won in a single games.
Boxing has won more medals for Ghana than any other sport. Thirty two out of the fifty seven medals were won by boxers, athletics has given Ghana twenty two, Weightlifting (one), Judo (one) and Women’s Para (one).
The last Ghanaian to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games was Long Jumper Ignatius Gaisah in Melbourne 2006.
Below is Ghanaian Commonwealth Games Medalists
Cardiff 1958
Athletics
Men’s High Jump: Robert Kotei – Bronze
Perth 1962
Boxing
Flyweight: -Cassie Aryee – Silver
Bantamweight: Sammy Abbey – Silver
Lightweight: Eddie Blay- Gold
Light welterweight: Clement Quartey- Gold
Middleweight: Thomas Arimi – Silver
Light Heavyweight:: Jojo Miles – Silver
Athletics
Men’s 4 x 110 yards: Silver (Bonner Mends, Bukari Bashiru, Michael Ocantey, Michael Ahey
Men’s 4 x 440 yards, Bronze (Ebenezer Quartey, Frederick Owusu, James Addy, and John Asare-Antwi)
Men’s Long Jump: Michael Ahey – Gold
Kingston 1966
Flyweight: Sulley Shuttu – Gold
Welterweight: Eddie Blay – Gold
Light Welterweight: Aaron Papoola – Silver
Middleweight: Joe Darkey – Gold
Heavyweight: Adonis Rey – Silver
Men’s 220 yards: Stanley Allotey – Gold
Featherweight: Amos Ajoo – Bronze
Light Middleweight: Robert Okine, Bronze
Men’s 4x 110 yards relay: – Gold (Ebenezer Addy, Bonner Mends, James Addy, and Stanley Allotey)
Edinburg 1970
Bantamweight: Sulley Shittu – Gold
Light Welterweight: Emmanuel Lawson – Bronze
Welterweight: Emmanuel Ankudey – Gold
Light Heavyweight: Victor Attivor – Bronze
Men’s 4x 100m Relay: Silver (Michael Ahey, James Addy, Edward Owusu, and George Daniels)
Women’s 100m: Alice Anum – Silver
Women’s 200m: Alice Anum – Silver
Christchurch 1974
Light Welterweight: Anthony Martey – Silver
Men’s 100m: Ohene Karikari – Bronze
Men’s 200m: George Daniels-Silver
Men’s 4x100m Relay: Silver (Albert Lomotey, Ohene Karkari, Kofi Okyir, George Daniels)
Men’s Triple Jump: Joshua Owusu-Gold
Moise Pomaney-Bronze
Men’s Long Jump: Joshua Owusu – Bronze
Women’s 200m: Alice Anum – Bronze
Women’s 4x100m: Bronze (Alice Anum, Hannah Afriyie, Josephine Ocran and Rose Asiedua)
Edmonton 1978
Featherweight: Azumah Nelson – Gold
Light Flyweight: Kid Jumaila – Bronze
Heavyweight: Adama Mensah – Silver
Brisbane 1982 —-No medal was won
Edinburg 1986——Did not attend
Auckland 1990
Middleweight: Joseph Laryea – Silver
Super Heavyweight: Liadi Alhassan – Silver
Victoria 1994
Light Welterweight: Tijani Moro – Bronze
Kuala Lumper 1998
Lightweight: Raymond Narh – Gold
Light Middleweight: James Tony – Bronze
Light Heavyweight: Charles Adamu – Bronze
Super Heavyweight: Moyoyo Aloryi – Bronze
Triple Jump: Andrew Owusu- Silver
Manchester 2002
Heptathlon: Margaret Simpson – Bronze
Melbourne 2006
Heavyweight: Awusone Yekeni – Bronze
Long Jump: Ignatius Gaisah – Gold
Weightlifting (77kg) : Majeti Fetri – Gold
Delhi 2010
Heavyweight: Awusone Yekeni-Bronze
Long Jump: Ignatius Gaisah-Bronze
Women’s 4x 100m: Silver (Rosina Amenedede, Elizabeth Amolofo, Beatrice Gyaman and Janet Amponsah)
Women’s Para 1500(T54): Anita Fordjour – Bronze
Glasgow 2014
Flyweight: Abdul Walid Omar – Bronze
Judo (Extra-Lightweight 60kg): Razak Abugri -Bronze
Gold Coast 2018
Light welterweight: Jesse Lartey – Bronze
By George Mahamah (Alan Green)