The Ghana Weightlifting Federation (GWF) last Monday took delivery of a number of gym equipment to the delight of its expectant lifters.
The equipment – a donation by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), was initiated by the immediate past president of the GWF, Ben Nunoo Mensah.
They include three sets of barbells and six disc metals, ranging from 0.5kg to 25kg.
It is recalled that the items arrived in the country in December, last year, but pecuniary challenges prevented the National Sports Authority (NSA) from clearing them immediately.
In one of his campaign promises, new President of the GWF, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, promised to do “justice to the situation” and on Monday lived by his word by paying nearly GH¢8,000 to have the items cleared from the Tema Port.
Welfare officer of the GWF, Seth Avayi – who was in charge of the equipment, said the items were going to serve as a big boost to the confidence of the lifters as they prepare for their final Tokyo Olympics qualification.
“We’ve been looking forward to it and I strongly believe it would serve as huge motivation to our lifters as they prepare ahead of their Olympic qualifiers in Madagascar,” he told the Times Sports yesterday.
Meanwhile, the GWF president has also embarked on an energetic renovation exercise, designed to put its training facility to modern international standards.
When the Times Sports visited the lifters gym at the Accra Sports Stadium, works were still ongoing at the locker room and washroom, whilst broken windows were in the process of being fixed.
Head coach Johnson Abotsi was thrilled at the pace of work, believing it would add a lot of fun to training and make it more enjoyable “when the entire renovation work is completed.”
BY JOHN VIGAH
