The 2010 Commonwealth Games has opened in New Dehli,India on the 3rd October 2010, so it is important the world is told the story of Ghana’s history at the Commonwealth Games since 1954 hence the  rush to complete  the essay. Please bear with me. Here we go

VICTORIA  1994
Ghana once again entered two disciplines, boxing and athletics and won two bronze medals courtesy light welterweight Moro Tijani and bantamweight Godson Sowah.

The nation however lost one bronze medal when Sowah was stripped of his honour when he tested positive for taking laxis, a banned drug, to reduce weight.
Sowah had got the bronze when he lost in the semi final to Oliver Spencer of England. He had earlier stopped Alfi Duffy of Western Samoa in the third round to reach the medal zone.

Light welterweight Moro Tijani who eventually turned out to be the only medal winner got his bronze when he lost to Peter Richardson also of England in the semi-finals.

Tijani had earlier scored a second round knock-out win over Steven Kevi of Papua New Guinea to reach the medal zone and a first round knock- out win over James Pender of Scotland in the preliminaries. Welterweight Joshua Clottey won his first fight against garnet Shawn of Guyana but lost the next to Albert Eromasele of Nigeria.

Middleweight Ishmael Aryee stopped Larry Pauna of Solomon Islands in 1 min 45 secs of the third round in his fight but lost the second to Joseph Townsley of Scotland in a close fight. Lightweight Emmanuel Clottey lost his very first fight to Mike Strange of Canada.

The athletics contingent was made up of

MEN

• Tanko Abass                       100m, 4x400m
• Eric Nkansah                      100m, 200m, 4x400m
• Christian Nsiah                 200m, 4x400m
• Awuku Boateng                 long jump
• Felix Hyde                           shot putt
• Ibrahim Hassan                 400m, 4x400m
• Ahmed Ali                           400m, 4x400m
• Solomon Amegatcher       400m.4x400m
• Kennedy Osei                     800m
• Nelson Boateng                 200m, 4x100m
• Salam Gariba                     100m4x400m
• Francis Dodoo                   triple jump
• Andrew Owusu                long jump
• Kofi Yevakpor                   4x400m

WOMEN

• Helena Wrappah           400m4x400m
• Martha Edusei               100m, 4x400m
• Dora Manu                     100m, 200m, 4x100m
• Naomi Mills                   200m, 4x100m
• Mercy Addy                   400m, 4x400m, 4x100m
• Nabiama Salifu             400m, 4x400m
• Agnes Nuamah            4x100m, 4x400m
• Gifty Abankwa             800m, 4x400, 1,500m
• Vida Nsiah                    100m hurdles

Even though no athlete won a medal some of them recorded quite encouraging times, below are the details :

• Andrew Owusu 13th long jump final 7.84m
• Felix Hyde 13th shot putt final 15.82m
• Dora Manu 7th 200m semis 24.24 secs
• Dora Manu, Naomi Mills, Agnes Nuamah, Mercy Addy 7th 4x100m final 45.72secs
• Mercy Addy,Agnes Nuamah,Helena Wrapper, Gifty Abankwa 4th 4x400m final 3 min 47.49 secs
• Christian Nsiah, Eric Nkansah,Salam Gariba,Nelson Boateng 6th,4x100m final

The biggest setback in the Ghana camp was the absconding of six athletes from the Games Village, three men and three women. The men were sprinter Tanko Abass, high jumper Awuku Boateng, and 400, runner Kofi Yevakpor. The women were sprinters Philomena Mensah, Martha Edusei and 400m runner Nabiama Salifu.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports promised to trace the whereabouts of the missing athletes but nothing was heard again.The Ghana High Commissioner to Canada, Annan Caitoo, was tasked to pursue the matter but to no avail.

Next up, Kuala Lumpur 1998.Cheers everyone and keep loving sports.