Ghana’s U-19 Junior National Badminton team, known as the Golden Shuttlers, received a hero’s welcome at Kotoka International Airport in Accra on the evening of Friday, August 30.
The team returned home on a Kenya Airways flight after clinching the championship title at the 2024 All Africa Youth Badminton Championship in Senegal. The Shuttlers secured three gold medals and one bronze, greeted by fans and supporters dressed in national colours.
In the mixed relay team category, Ghana triumphed over Benin with a 60-50 aggregate score.
The team members included Addo Leslie, Nii Adote, Adu-Minta Obapomba, Ankrah Jonathan, Amofa Andy, Moslena Ama Korama Adu, Quarcoo Racheal, and Awa Camara.
In the men’s triple team category, Ghana defeated South Africa 3-1 to claim gold, with the team consisting of Addo Leslie, Nii Adote, Adu-Minta Obapomba, and Ankrah Jonathan.
The women’s triple category saw Ghana overcome Algeria 3-1 to win gold, with the team made up of Adu Moslena Ama Korama and Quarcoo Racheal.
President of the Ghana Badminton Association, Mr. Yeboah Evans, praised the team for their outstanding performance, stating, “Winning three gold medals and one bronze elevates us and provides a platform for the sport’s growth.”
He said, the sport of Badminton was trifling and with the result that had been achieved by the kids, “it is something that is propelling each individual and stakeholders to help to be able to move to the next level.”
He said, “Having also qualified for the World Championship this gives us an avenue for us to be able to spearhead the country’s sports to that height it needs.”
He said, “We are excited that there is a lot of collaboration with the Ghana Olympic Committee, National Sports Authority, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Tebal Ghana during the campaigning and training period at the Borteyman Sports.
He said, “We had all the support that we needed from the government which had been very good for what we needed to do.”
Adding, “Every kid on the street, the school wants to get involved in the game and we are excited with all the requests that are coming, we urge all cooperating institutions to get closer to us for us to be able to expand the growth of the sport.”
Head Coach Moses Adu expressed his appreciation to the athletes for their outstanding performance and encouraged them to keep making both themselves and the country proud.
He said, “We played Badminton and Air badminton thus two events, with Air Badminton it was the first time organised in Africa and Ghana is the first country to have won that event and we retained the Badminton title as well.”
“For now, if any country can boast of anything, Ghana is the first country to have won the Air Badminton and we have to maintain this glory.”
Deputy Captain Moslena Ama Korama Adu, speaking on behalf of the team, shared their excitement and promised to secure more medals for the country in the future.
She said, “It wasn’t easy nor difficult but with God, everything was possible, throughout our training our coach was helping us in the training and we never let him down.”
“I have been playing Badminton for five years now, so I see myself reaching up for the World medals.”
