The 56th edition of the University of Ghana and Total’s Inter halls athletics competition kick-started on the 17th October 2019 as athletes showcased their talents across several disciplines.
The event ended on Monday at the UG stadium with some long-standing records being broken as well as notable figures impressing.
The three-day event was initially scheduled to end last Friday but following a downpour, it had to be rescheduled to Monday.
Day One Report
The first day started with the 100/110m hurdle heats for both men and women, high jump for women and the 100m heats for men and women.
Grace Efia Ofua Arkoh from the Mensah Sarbah Hall finished clear of the pack in the women’s 100m hurdles heats. She competed with the likes of Hafissah Yaaba Adjei and Elizabeth Pratt.
Doreen Gagba from Akuafo Hall was just on fire as she won the Women’s high jump with 1.55 meters.
Emmanuel Sarga from Commonwealth hall was the man for the day in the Javelin events as he won gold.
Commonwealth Hall represented well as Emmanuel Desu also emerged as the winner for the Men’s Triple Jump and Radha Komla Lagble winning gold in the Men’s edition of the 5000m race.
Beatrice Owusua from the Mensah Sarbah hall won the women’s 5000m race after winning it in last year’s championship.
Events and winners
1. Grace Efia Ofua Arkoh (Mensah Sarbah Hall) – Women’s 100m hurdle
2. Grace Obour ( Mensah Sarbah Hall) – Women’s 400m heat
3. Doreen Gagba (Akuafo Hall) – Women’s High Jump
4. Emmanuel Sarga (Commonwealth Hall) – Men’s Javelin
5. Emmanuel Desu (Commonwealth Hall) – Men Triple Jump
6. Radha Komla Lagble (Commonwealth Hall) Men’s 5000m
7. Beatrice Owusua ( Mensah Sarbah Hall) – Women’s 5000m
Day Two Report
Day 2 of the University of Ghana Inter-halls championship took shape with more interesting outcomes and skills from athletes for both field and track events.
Joshua Adhemer, a level 400 Psychology student from Canada, was the surprise for the day for winning the 400-meter hurdle at a finishing time of 58.34 seconds for the International Students Hostel and Jubilee hall (J/ISH).
Cecilia Oppong won the women’s 400-meter hurdle at a finishing time of 11.60 seconds for Akuafo hall as Grace Obour from the Mensah Sarbah hall continued with her dominance as she beat her competitors to win in the 400m final by 53.76 seconds
The winner of the shot put competition was Dominic McCarthy from Akuafo hall, making it his second win in a row.
Jubilee and International Students Hostel’s Millicent Njomaba also won the Discuss competition for the second straight year.
The day also saw Grace Obour disqualified in the Women’s 100-meter final which saw Comfort Esinam Tetteh of the Volta Hall defending her gold medal in the final after she ended the race in a time of 13.04 seconds.
Benjamin Azamati also did not disappoint the Mensah Sarbah Hall as he maintained his position as the best 100-meter runner for the University of Ghana, finishing the race in 10.61 seconds.
Mensah Sarbah Women’s team also won the 4*400 relay final with a time of 4.11 seconds as Commonwealth Hall left no stone unturned as they also rose up to the occasion in the Men’s 4*400 final with a time of 3.17s.
After day two, Commonwealth Hall topped the medal table with 16 medals – 6 gold, 7 silver, and 3 bronze
Hilla Limann Hall followed with 8 medals – 2 gold, 3 silver, and 3 bronze.
Mensah Sarbah was 3rd on the medal table with 1 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze.
Akuafo had 3 medals -1 for gold, 1 for silver and 1 bronze.
Legon Hall, Jubilee Hall, and Volta hall are yet to gain a medal in the competition.
Events and winners
1. Samuel Nana (Hilla Liman Hall) – Men’s 110m hurdle
2. Comfort Esinam Tetteh (Volta Hall) – Women’s 100m
3. Grace Obour (Mensah Sarbah Hall) – Women’s 400m
4. Emmanuel Nimo (Commonwealth Hall) – Men’s 400m
5. Beatrice Owusua (Mensah Sarbah Hall) –Women’s 1500m
6. Eric Noah (Commonwealth Hall) – Men’s 1500m
7. Benjamin Azamati (Mensah Sarbah Hall) – Men’s 100m
8. Dominic McCarthy (Akuafo hall) – Men’s Shot Put
9. Cecilia Oppong (Akuafo Hall) – Women’s 400m hurdle
10. Millicent Njomaba (Jubilee Hall) – Women’s Discus
11. Mensah Sarbah Hall women’s relay team – 4x400m
12. Commonwealth Hall Men’s relay team – 4x400m
Day Three Report
On Day 3, Eric Noah Anglo from Commonwealth Hall broke a 56-year old record to grab the headlines after winning the Men’s 800m in a time 1:54s.
The previous record was 1:56s
Mensah Sarbah Hall were the winners of the female category with 18 medals accumulated (7 gold, 6 silver, 5 bronze). 25 medals (11 gold, 8 silver, 6 bronze) ensured that Commonwealth Hall emerged winners of the Male category.
Events and winners
1. Cynthia Anafo (Akuafo Hall) – Women’s 800m
2. Benjamin Azamati (Mensah Sarbah Hall) – Men’s 200m
3. Asher Blasu (Mensah Sarbah Hall) – Women’s 200m
4. Eric Noah Aglo (Commonwealth Hall) – Men‘s 800m
5. Doreen Gagba (Akuafo Hall) Women’s long jump.
6. Cadman E. Yamoah (Commonwealth Hall) – Men’s Long Jump
6. Johnson Boakye Yiadom (Commonwealth Hall) – Men’s Discus
7. Akuafo Hall Men’s relay team – 4x100m
8. Commonwealth Hall –Overall Men’s category
9. Mensah Sarbah Hall – Overall Women’s category
Medal Table
At the end of the three-day event, Commonwealth Hall and Mensah Sarbah Hall accrued the most number of medals in both the male and female categories respectively.
Female Category
Mensah Sarbah Hall
Gold= 7
Silver= 6
Bronze= 5
Total= 18
Akaufo Hall
Gold= 5
Silver= 3
Bronze= 3
Total= 11
Volta Hall
Gold= 2
Silver= 5
Bronze= 6
Total= 13
Jubilee/ Ish Halls
Gold= 2
Silver= 0
Bronze= 0
Total= 2
Male Category
Commonwealth Hall
Gold= 11
Silver= 8
Bronze= 6
Total= 25
Hilla Limann
Gold= 2
Silver= 4
Bronze= 4
Total= 10
Akuafo Hall
Gold= 2
Silver= 4
Bronze= 2
Total= 8
Mensah Sarbah Hall
Gold= 2
Silver= 2
Bronze= 4
Total= 8