Ghana’s top track and field athletes will make a final bid for places on the national team when the Dean Hayes Memorial International Classic takes place at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium on June 20.
The one-day competition has been designated by Ghana Athletics as a National Championships event and will serve as the final local qualification opportunity for athletes hoping to secure selection for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2026 and the World Athletics U-20 Championships.
According to Ghana Athletics, performances at the championship will be the final local marks considered before teams are finalised for the two international assignments, raising the stakes for competitors seeking to represent Ghana on the global stage.
The event will also spotlight the next generation of Ghanaian athletics talent through the Secondary School 4x100m Relay Championships for Under-18 and Under-20 boys and girls.
School rivalries will add another layer of excitement with the Greater Accra SHS Bragging Rights Relay, where eight selected schools will compete for regional supremacy and bragging rights.
The championship is held in honour of the late Coach Dean Hayes, the long-serving athletics coach at Middle Tennessee State University. Hayes, who passed away in 2022 after 56 years at the helm of the programme, played a significant role in the development of several Ghanaian athletes and maintained a close relationship with Ghana Athletics throughout his career.
His contribution to the growth of athletics in Ghana continues to be celebrated through the annual championship bearing his name.
