Hosts Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) claimed a double victory on home soil, sweeping both the men’s and women’s flagship titles at Ghana’s first-ever Relay Open Championship.
The historic event, held on Saturday at the Paa Joe Park in Kumasi, saw 300 athletes from across the country gather to test their mettle in a format specifically designed to bolster Ghana’s international sprinting credentials.
The atmosphere in Kumasi was electric as schools, clubs, and national institutions competed across multiple age brackets, from U-15s to seniors.
However, the afternoon was not without its challenges. A sudden drizzle during the 4x100m heats caused technical difficulties for the electronic timing equipment, leaving several races without official recorded times.
Despite the damp conditions, the KNUST men’s quartet delivered a masterclass in coordination.
Buoyed by a vocal home crowd, they secured gold after their primary rivals, Ghana Police, suffered a disastrous baton exchange on the curve, effectively ending their title hopes.
The dominance continued in the women’s 4x100m. In a thrilling display of grit, the KNUST women clawed back from a trailing position to overtake Ghana Police on the final leg, securing a second gold for the university.
Earlier in the day, the crowd was treated to the performance of the session by Ghana’s top home-based sprinter, Edwin Gadaye.
Celebrating his birthday, Gadaye anchored the Ghana Police team to a breath-taking victory in the men’s 4x200m.
The race ended in a dead heat with KNUST, with both teams clocking an impressive 1.26 seconds.
It took a photo finish to confirm that Gadaye had secured the win by mere inches, while Golden Spirits settled for the bronze medal with a time of 1.28 seconds.
“The feeling is normal for me,” Gadaye remarked after the race. “The African Championship is the main target. This is to open the season, and I look forward to big and surprising things.”
In the middle-distance events, Osei Kyeretwie Senior High School (OKESS) proved too strong in the 4x800m.
The quartet of Ansu Gyeabo Christopher, Ayuba Abdalai, John Kombat, and Abubaka Alhassan took gold in 7:53, comfortably beating the Ghana Police team, who finished in 7:59 to take the silver.
This championship serves as a critical stepping stone for Ghana Athletics. With the 2026 African Senior Championships set to take place in Accra this May, the winners from this weekend have earned the prestigious honour of competing as curtain-raisers for the continental showpiece.
Ahmed Baffoe, CEO of Ghana Athletics, emphasised that the focus on relays is a strategic move.
“At the national level, our strength lies in the relay, so this event forms part of what we are doing to augment our team,” Baffoe told reporters.
The event was supported by SEEDAfrique, whose co-founder, Billy James Dega, expressed a desire to turn the Relay Open into an annual staple of the Ghanaian sporting calendar, mirroring the World Athletics Relays.
The focus now shifts to the National Open Championships later this year, as coaches look to refine baton exchanges and team depth ahead of a massive summer of athletics in West Africa.
