Ghana’s young swimming prospect, Kelvin Abdallah, has powered his way into the men’s 100m freestyle final at the ongoing 2025 African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
The 16-year-old clocked an impressive 56.13 seconds in Thursday’s heats, securing a spot among the top eight swimmers who will contest for medals in Friday’s final. Abdallah, competing in Heat 3, delivered one of the standout performances of the day, finishing behind only a few swimmers from traditional powerhouses South Africa and Egypt.
Abdallah is part of Ghana’s four-member swimming team in Angola, joined by Mercedes Abdallah, Oduma Agyei, and Tamba Akin Boamah, as Team Ghana competes across 15 sporting disciplines at this year’s Games. The Ghana Swimming Association has been pushing for improved performances at youth level, and Abdallah’s qualification is seen as a major boost.
The African Youth Games, which run from December 10–16 across six Angolan cities, feature over 2,000 athletes from 50 nations competing in 33 sports. The competition serves as a major pathway for young athletes ahead of the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.
Abdallah, who is competing in four events 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle, and 100m butterfly has been in fine form throughout training and has emerged as one of Ghana’s strongest medal prospects in Luanda.
