South Africa’s Aiden Smith emerged as winner of the Men’s Shot Put event in the 2026 African Senior Athletics Championships after throwing a distance of 20.01 metres.
The record holder for the Southern African nation grabbed the headlines at this year’s event that is taking place at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium from May 12 to May 17 after claiming that food was being rationed for athletes.
“The eating hall, we go there, we ask for food and they fight with us. We’re not allowed to take more than one chicken bone…and then I fight with them like listen I need to eat then they say, okay, I’ll give you at least two” he said.
In response, Deputy Director General of Ghana’s National Sports Authority, Veronica Commey, stated that she was surprised by the food rationing claim.
🎥 “We have put measures in place to ensure it does not happen again, so kindly accept my apologies.”
Deputy Director-General of the National Sports Authority, Veronica Commey, addressing concerns raised by athletes over food and challenges faced by the media.#CitiSports pic.twitter.com/PePtpWMxMT
— Citi Sports (@CitiSportsGHA) May 13, 2026
Speaking after winning gold in the Men’s Shot Put event, Aiden Smith said that he was happy to get a wild card qualification to compete in next year’s World Championships in Beijing, China by winning gold.
“I feel great, I’m glad I got the medal, I’m glad I got the win, I got the wild card for Beijing 2027, that’s what we came for” Smith said.
