Ghana Faces Setbacks in Swimming and Wrestling, Finds Tough Competition at International Meet regardless of being the host

Ghana's athletes faced a challenging first day at the international sports competition, with the swimming and wrestling teams encountering setbacks despite their determined efforts.

In the swimming events, Ghana showcased promising talent with two notable fourth-place finishes. Stacey Harry just missed a medal in the men's 100m butterfly final, finishing closely behind the leaders. South Africa's Clayton Jimmie clinched the gold medal with an outstanding performance, while Namibia's Alexander Skinner and Egypt's Abdalla Nasr secured the silver and bronze medals respectively.

The 4x100m mixed relay freestyle team also finished in a commendable fourth place, highlighting the team's potential for future competitions. Pavel Kutashev, the coach of Ghana's swimming team, expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance. "It was a good day overall, despite not being perfect. The athletes gave their all, and that's what matters most," Kutashev remarked to Joy Sports.

However, the day was less favorable for Ghana's wrestling contingent, as all competitors were eliminated on the first day. The most notable defeat came in the men's Greco 77kg category, where Ghana's Mugis Salifu was bested by Kenyan wrestler Mathonya Mathayo with a score of 10-0 in under two minutes.

The badminton events also brought disappointment for Ghana, with the men's doubles tea

m of Leslie Addo and Ebenezer Korampong bowing out in the quarterfinals against South Africa's Jarred Elliott and Robert Summers. The team's performance in mixed doubles and women's doubles, as well as in all singles events, saw no Ghanaian athlete advancing past the Round of 16.

As Team Ghana reflects on the day's outcomes, the focus shifts to building on these experiences and preparing for future successes in international sports competitions.