Ghana’s quarter-mile hurdler, Seidu Mammoudu Baba, delivered a statement of intent at the Cape Coast Open Championship 2026, obliterating the 50-second barrier to secure a dominant victory.
Representing the Ghana Armed Forces, Mammoudu Baba produced a flawless technical display in Heat 2 of the final.
He stopped the clock at 49.45 seconds, marking both a new Personal Best (PB) and a Season’s Best (SB).
This performance stands as one of the fastest early-season times recorded on Ghanaian soil in recent years, signalling a significant shift in the athlete’s trajectory as he looks toward international competition later this year.
From the gun, Mammoudu Baba looked in a class of his own. Maintaining a precise rhythm between the barriers and showcasing elite speed endurance in the home straight, he left his rivals fighting for the remaining podium spots.
His time was the fastest recorded across both heats, comfortably beating Osborn Turkson of the Cheetahs Track and Field Club, who took second place in 50.41 seconds.
Mammoudu Baba’s colleague from the Ghana Armed Forces, Banabas Dompey, rounded out the top three with a solid 50.70 seconds.
While the second heat provided the podium leaders, Heat 1 saw Clinton Owusu of the Cheetahs Track and Field Club lead his field with a time of 53.15 seconds.
He was followed by Evans Ofosu and Emmanuel Brefo, both representing the University of Education, Winneba.
Other notable efforts in the second heat included Peter Antiedu of Sagnation Track and Field, who finished in 53.97 seconds, and Alhassan Suleman of the Ghana National Fire Service, who clocked 56.54 seconds.
The Central Region event ultimately belonged to Mammoudu Baba. His sub-50-second run provides a massive boost to Ghana’s athletics prospects as the 2026 domestic season gathers momentum.
Behind the leading quartet of Mammoudu Baba, Turkson, Dompey, and Owusu, the field was rounded out by Paul Debrah Owusu, Kofi Elkana, and Anthony Mensah, while Maxwell Anane-Asamoah recorded a DNF in the opening heat.
