Sports Equity Lab partnered with legendary Jamaican sprinter, Asafa Powell to host a speed clinic for young athletes on the 26th of April at the University of Ghana’s Athletic Oval.
The event is part of a four-day programme the Sports Equity Lab is putting together in preparation for the upcoming 2023 Africa Games set to be hosted in Ghana next year due to the games being postponed.
The speed clinic was handled by an international team of coaches along with Asafa Powell and 50 Ghanaian student-athletes and their coaches.
Speaking after the speed clinic, Coach Issac Robert Kwapong emphasized the need to keep the conversation going.
“This is a long term project we are on. This is just the first phase of it, the next phase is to find a way of continuously engaging the coaches with the methods and principles and with the studies we are exposing them to. The goal is, at the end of the day, we want Ghana to be on top of the map,” he said.
“We want Ghana to be impacted in track and field and basketball, but at the end of the day, athlete development and coaching development is the focus,” he added
Asafa Powell was vocal about his soft spot for Ghana and excited about working with the young athletes.
“I love Ghana. Ghana has a special place in my heart and I love working with kids, and to be here with these kids who seem eager to learn [is great]
“That’s really the best thing to see. It’s motivation for any coach or anybody who is willing to help. When they see the motivation that they have, it’s really inspiring,” he said.
“They are willing to learn. I hope they take what they learn today and they continue learning and keep practicing,” he added.
In addition to the speed clinic, there will be a Sports Equity Talk titled “The Neurobiomechanics of Maximum Velocity Sprinting” at the Cedi Conference Centre at the University of Ghana on Thursday, 27th April at 4 pm.
There will also be a Ghana’s Fastest Human track and field competition in Tamale on Saturday, 29th April.
