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The domestic track and field season reaches a climax this weekend with the Ghana Athletics Association set to host the Grand Finale of the Interplast-Sea & Shore National Circuit Championship at the Tamale Stadium on Saturday, 8th August.

Only the top 8 point scorers in each event across the season have been invited for the Circuit final with each event going into a straight final after three Circuit Championships were held at Sunyani, Akatsi and Accra earlier in the season.

The final spot in a few events where two or three athletes were tied for the 8th slot was determined by giving advantage to the athlete with the fastest time, or best throw over the season.

The Grand Finale will feature about 128 male and female athletes who will be battling for glory in straight finals in their respective events. There will be an exhibition women’s 3000m steeplechase race. Earlier this year, the IAAF Regional Development Center (RDC) in Kenya, had extended scholarships to a Ghanaian athlete and her coach; distance runner Elizabeth Azuure and her coach, Coach Boniface, from the Upper East Region to participate in a training course.

As a further boost to its developmental agenda, the GAA is organizing a community outreach event for children between 8-12 years in the Tamale Municipality, preceding the Circuit Grand Finale from 1.30pm until 3.00pm. The resource person teaching the children will be from the GAA Kids Athletics programme, and will also feature some former Ghanaian athletes among the GAA Executive, including the President, Organizing Secretary, Ghana’s Rio 2016 Chef de Mission, etc. The children will be taught the fundamentals of athletics before the National Circuit Championship Final starts at 4:00pm.

Final onslaught

The Circuit Finale is expected to witness fierce rivalries and competition among the best home based athletes including the reigning African Championship javelin silver medalist Mary Zuta Nartey, African Championship 4x100m relay bronze medalist Beatrice Gyaman, 2014 Commonwealth Games and CAA African Championships participants such as; 400m runner Shawkia Iddrisu, 5000m runner Sakat Lariba, 400m runner Kwadwo Acheampong and 2014 Youth Olympic 800m gold medalist Martha Bissah.

Other athletes will be drawn from the ten regions, Security Services, Ghana Education Service, and will attempt to use the occasion to meet the GAA’s selection standards for the 2015 World Championships and the All Africa Games.

Points accrued

African javelin silver medalist Mary Zuta Nartey leads the overall women’s ranking by a mile, with 54 points accrued over the three competitions completed so far, followed in second place by distance runner Beatrice Konama with 34 points, and sprinter/jumper Latifa Ali in third with 33 points.

On the men’s side, triple jumper Martin Etsey and 3000m runner Prosper Goku are the overall leaders, having accumulated 30 points each while the third spot is shared by a trio of throwers: Daniel Eshun, Awudu Bachela and Emmanuel Gyefa, each on 28 points.
U.S based presence

Two U.S. based athletes, 400m man Emmanuel Dasor and national team captain and javelin thrower, John Ampomah, are expected to be in the stadium to cheer on their compatriots at the one-day meet. US-based former national star, Professor Christian Nsiah, will also be in attendance.

The two current national stars will have fond memories of Tamale, having competed in the 2012 Maria Tsakos National Junior Championships at the same venue some three years ago.

It will be recalled that the duo won their respective events at the recent Warri Relays in Nigeria. Emmanuel Dasor won the 400m final before anchoring the 4x400m relay team to break the 23-year old national 4x400m record while national javelin record holder John Ampomah successfully defended his javelin title at the same competition.