UG Team to Compete in the 25th GUSA Cross Country Competition
The University of Ghana Cross Country Team will compete in the 25th Ghana Universities Sports Association (GUSA) Cross Country Competition scheduled for Saturday, 13th August, 2022 at the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho in the Volta Region.
The 10km race is under the distinguished patronage of Professor Lydia Aziato, Vice-Chancellor, University of Health and Allied Sciences.
The competition makes a return after a three-year break due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
UG’s Preparation and Expectation
The University of Ghana Team, made up of ten males and ten females, began preparations on 28th July, 2022 on UG Campus. Alumnus and former champion, William Awunime Akuka, who is also the Team;s Coach has led the Team through rigorous training in order to be in peak condition for the competition. The Team boasts of Aziz Mohammed and Ishmael Offeh Acheampong, who are ranked 20th and 43rd respectively by the Federation of Africa University Sports (FASU) at its 5th Cross Country Competition held at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2021.
The UG Team last won the competition in 2014. The Team is looking forward to improving on their bronze medal in the female category and their fourth place in the male category at the 24th edition of the Competition. UG’s impressive showings at the competition were between 2009 and 2014, when they swept the male category trophy six times in a row. Between 2011 and 2015, William Awunime Akuka, was a member of the team, setting the competition record of 36 minutes in the then 12km race.
Participating Universities
It is expected that all 13 member universities of GUSA will participate in the 25th Edition. These institutions are; University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Cape Coast, University of Education, Winneba, University for Development Studies, University of Energy and Natural Resources, University of Professional Studies, University of Mines and Technology, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Ghana Institute of Journalism, CK Tadem University for Technology and Applied Sciences, Simon Diedong Dombo University for Business and Integrated Development Studies and Akenten Appiah Menkah University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development.
The University of Ghana contingent, made up of twenty students and eleven officials, will depart Accra on Thursday, 11th August, 2022 for the competition. The Team will return on Sunday, 14th August, 2022.