Fastest Human Takes Over Cowbell Athletics

Capt. Andy Sam, Barbarossa Foundation, Annan, Hon Yammin, Fritz Baffoe, Asamoah and Madam Alice Attipoe, Head of the National Sports Authority

Promasidor Ghana Limited, producer of Cowbell, has partnered Ghana's Fastest Human as part of efforts to revive and push athletics in schools.

Officials of Cowbell told the press in Accra last Friday that the collaboration was to build on the success story of the maiden national Junior Elite Athletics Champions, arranged by the powdered-milk producers.

The initiative, which would be annualized, is to unearth athletic talents in the country's educational institutions, especially children under the age of 16.

Athletes who will excel in the championship would be entitled to athletic scholarship put together by the Barbarossa Foundation to study and train with the Aspire Academy.

Cowbell's Kwabena Asamoah, in his presentation said, 'The plan is to blow up and grow the annual Junior Elite Athletics Championship to become very big in Ghana, just like with Jamaican high school athletes.

'These juniors will be selected from the best athletes from all the schools in Ghana in all athletics disciplines. It will be an annual 'Interco' type competition of the best of all junior athletes in Ghana.'

Last year, the Cowbell Junior Elite Athletics championships produced four athletes who returned from Qatar after qualifying for scholarships. The athletes are Francis Aidoo, Blance Otoo, Emmanuel Bonsi and Emmanuel Opoku.

Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Hon Joseph Yammin blamed stakeholders for neglecting the sport for far too long.

He therefore commended the organizers and sponsors, Cowbell, who injected $250,000 into the initiative.

Head of Physical Education (PE) at the Ghana Education Service, Bernard A. Annan, indicated that talents abound in schools, and the initiative would help unearth them.

 
By Kofi Owusu Aduonum