John Ampomah and Flings Owusu-Agyapong crowned 2016 Kempinski Liquid Sports Ghana Athletes of the Year
The 2016 Kempinski Liquid Sports Ghana Awards was sponsored by the Kempinski Hotel Hold Coast City, Ethiopian Airlines, Kwese Free Sports, the Ghana Triathlon Federation and the Sports Directorate, University of Ghana, Legon.
National javelin record holder John Ampomah and sprinter Flings Owusu-Agyapong have been named as the 2016 Kempinski Liquid Sports Ghana male and female athlete of the year at the annual awards, held at the plush Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra on Saturday, 29thApril, 2017.
Ampomah, who won silver at the CAA Championships in Durban, South Africa, added to his legacy by winning the coveted crown for a record second occasion.
The Ghanaian throwing sensation produced a personal best 83.09m to extend the then national record (82.94m) and qualify for the Olympics in early July, 2016.
The Middle Tennessee State University graduate placed a respectable 19th in his first appearance at the Olympics Games in Rio 2016 after throwing 80.39m.
Cornelia Zschunke, the Executive Assistant Manager of the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City, announced the winner of the male athlete of the year award to ruptures welcome by the dignitaries gathered at the Siam Meeting Room, Kempinski Hotel.
Receiving the award from his base in the USA, John Ampomah expressed his gratitude to his coaches, friends, family, Prof. Francis Dodoo and the Ghana Athletics Association for their support throughout the years.
She helped the national women’s 4x100m relay team to win silver at the CAA Championships in Durban, South Africa before leading the team to qualify for the Rio Olympic Games in spectacular fashion at the Soga Nana Memorial meet in Cape Coast, recording a new national record 42.67s(NR) in the process.
In a video message at the event, Flings Owusu-Agyapong commented: “I’m really grateful for having chosen me for this award,” said Flings whose award was announced by the Second Vice President of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Nii Adote Din Barima I, Mpoase Mantse, Sempe Division of the Ga Traditional Area.
“I know there are a lot of us who put in a lot of great work this year and I’m just really thankful for the support. I think things like this (award) is not only important for us, but for future generations to have something to look forward to.”
“It is nice to be appreciated, to be given something you put some much hard work into. I just want to say thank you so much for selecting me,”
The 2016 Kempinski Liquid Sports Ghana Awards was sponsored by the Kempinski Hotel Hold Coast City, Ethiopian Airlines, Kwese Free Sports, the Ghana Triathlon Federation and the Sports Directorate, University of Ghana, Legon.
Kempinski Liquid Sports Ghana Local Male Athlete of the Year:
Martin Owusu-Antwi was named local male athlete of the year. Martin clocked the fastest time by a locally based athlete in the men’s 200m event, producing an impressive personal best 20.73s at the Soga Nana Memorial meet last year.
He had earlier in the year won the men’s 200m final at the 8th Africa Universities Games in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Martin had the most point’s accumulation of 1108 points, using the IAAF Scoring Tables among the top 10 nominees for this award.
Dr. Felicia Owusu-Antwi, Martin’s mother received the award on behalf of her son. The award was presented by Dr. Bella Bello Bitugu, Director of Sports at the Sports Directorate, University of Ghana, Legon.
In a video message played at the ceremony, Martin Owusu-Antwi said: “I gladly accept this award as the local male athlete of the year.”
“I want to thank Prof. Dodoo and the Ghana Athletics Association for giving me the opportunity to showcase my talent. And Liquid Sports Ghana. I want to thank my mother, my dad, my siblings, coaches and the Man up there for giving me this talent.”
Beatrice Gyaman was named the Kempinski Liquid Sports Ghana Local Female Athlete of the Year and was presented with her award by the Head of Public Relations and Cultural Section at the Embassy of Japan, Iida Masashi.
Beatrice was the fastest female 100m sprinter locally in 2016, clocking 11.55s at the Soga Nana Memorial meet last year.
A Ghana National Fire Service officer, she was a member of Ghana’s silver medal women’s 4x100m relay team at the 2016 CAA Championships in Durban, South Africa.
She run the third leg as the women’s 4x100m relay fend off competition from Cote D’Ivoire to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in a national record 42.67s.
Laila Werburi Zangwio was named Kempinski Liquid Sports Ghana Rising Triathlon Star, a special award sponsored by the Ghana Triathlon Federation and the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City.
Laila won her first triathlon at the Kempinski Race Series earlier this year, beating a quality field.
At her first major international event at the Africa Triathlon Cup in Sham El Shakh, Egypt, she clinched first place in her age category competition.
It was a night to celebrate not only Ghana athletics but also Ghana’s sports icons as the occasion was graced by several national sports stars including Ghana’s first para cyclist at the Olympics Alem Mumuni, three time Olympian, Raphael Botyso Nkegbe, All African Games medalist Patri Yaw Obeng, Ghana’s first male swimmer at the Olympics, Abeiku Jackson and his father/coach Jackson Abbiw, 2016 Olympians Dorcas Gyiman and Wahid Omar, AIBA boxing coaching instructor Ofori Asare.
The list also included taekwondo practitioner Terrance Tetteh Asare and Ghana’s first female weightlifter to compete at the Olympic Games, Alberta Ampomah.
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