Ghana’s national youth boxing team, the Black Rockets, officially presented their gold medals to the Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, in a brief ceremony following their recent triumph in the Africa youth boxing championship in Conakry.
The team, led by a three-man squad; Gideon Pappoe, George Dowuona, and Mathias Ashitey each secured gold in their respective weight categories, earning high praise from the NSA boss.
In his remarks, Mr. Ampofo Ankrah commended the young boxers for their achievement and pledged his unwavering support.
For the NSA, all I can say is thank you for the honour, and I will personally ensure that everything is done,” he said. “Even though we weren’t prepared for this, we will definitely honour the boys.
My minister, Hon. Kofi Iddie Adams, is currently on an official tour abroad. Once he returns, we will go and meet him. I’m sure he will also have very beautiful words for you and the entire boxing fraternity.
President of the Ghana Boxing Federation, Ben Quartey, expressed his delight at the team’s success, emphasizing that this is just the beginning.
There’s more to come from these boys. We are committed to supporting and pushing them to even greater heights
Vice President of the Federation, Dauda Fuseini, also highlighted the financial challenges the team faced in preparing for the tournament in Conakry.
Before traveling, it was very difficult to secure funding. We had to explore various avenues to make it happen,” he revealed.
Fuseini made a passionate call for sponsorships, stating that financial support is essential for the team’s participation in upcoming competitions, especially the prestigious World Championship in Liverpool later this year.
This year, our calendar includes a major tournament; the World Boxing Championship in Liverpool. It will be a key platform to assess our athletes’ readiness to represent Ghana at the Commonwealth Games
Looking ahead to 2026, Fuseini appealed to the NSA and the Ministry Sports and Recreation for s for continued support.
We’re calling on the NSA and the Ministry to back us in preparing for two major events next year; the Commonwealth Games in Scotland and the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
With promising talent and a growing hunger for success, the Black Rockets are shaping up to be a beacon of hope for the future of Ghanaian boxing.
