Accra 2026: Ghana Settle for Bronze in 4x100m as Ivory Coast Win Gold
- Ghana’s men’s 4x100m relay team surrendered their continental crown after settling for bronze at the 2026 African Athletics Championships
- Anchored by Abdul Rasheed Saminu, Team Ghana finished behind rivals Nigeria and champions Ivory Coast in a fiercely contested final
- In the women’s relay event, Ghana’s youthful quartet, largely made up of senior high school athletes, also delivered an impressive performance
Ghana failed to defend their men’s 4x100m relay crown at the 2026 African Senior Athletics Championships after settling for bronze behind surprise winners Ivory Coast and rivals Nigeria.
Inside a buzzing University of Ghana Stadium on Friday, May 15, hopes were high for another memorable relay triumph on home soil.
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Saminu anchors Ghana to bronze
Ghana entered the final as one of the favourites after posting the joint-fastest qualifying time alongside Nigeria.
But when the race exploded into life, it was Ivory Coast who stole the spotlight.
Ghana’s quartet, missing injured sprint star Benjamin Azamati, started brightly through Edwin Gadayi, who powered out of the blocks with intent before handing the baton to team captain Joseph Paul Amoah.
From there, Ibrahim Fuseini carried the momentum into the third leg, keeping Ghana firmly in contention.
Yet by the final exchange, Ivory Coast had already created daylight between themselves and the chasing pack.
National 100m record holder Abdul Rasheed Saminu fought on the anchor leg and briefly looked capable of securing silver.
However, Nigeria’s finisher surged past late on, pushing Ghana down to third place.
The result marked a disappointing end for the defending champions, who had struck gold in Douala, Cameroon, two years earlier.
Ghana secures bronze in women's 4x100m
Earlier, Ghana’s women’s relay side produced a similarly spirited performance to clinch bronze in their own 4x100m final.
Made up largely of senior high school athletes with limited international experience, the youthful quartet exceeded expectations with a composed display against more established opposition.
The race quickly developed into a thrilling battle between Liberia and Nigeria.
Liberia exploded into an early lead and looked set for victory before Nigeria mounted a strong late charge to grab gold at the line.
Liberia settled for silver, while Ghana completed the podium places with bronze.
For a hastily assembled team still finding its rhythm at elite level, the performance offered plenty of encouragement and reinforced belief that Ghana’s women could become a serious force in future championships.
Focus turns to 2026 Commonwealth Games
Although the home crowd was denied relay gold this time, both Ghanaian teams leave the championships with valuable lessons ahead of a busy international calendar.
Attention will now shift toward the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where Ghana’s sprinters will aim to sharpen their baton exchanges and build stronger chemistry against world-class competition.
The multi-sport event is scheduled to run from July 23 to August 2, 2026.
Source: YEN.com.gh
