Accra, Feb.15, GNA- The Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) has presented Olympic Solidarity Scholarships to 10 Ghanaian athletes towards their qualification to the 2024 Olympic Games to be held in Paris, France.
The scholarship which would be funded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is to help the beneficiaries in their training, qualifications, and preparations towards the Olympic Games.
The $750 monthly support is ultimately aimed at getting the beneficiaries to qualify and participate in the 2024 Olympic Games.
The beneficiaries were selected from Swimming, Boxing, Judo, Weightlifting and Athletics and would be expected to avail themselves for monitoring and evaluation every quarter to ensure continuous support from the IOC until the Games.
The selected athletes from boxing are; Abraham Mensah, Wahid Omar, and Joseph Commey, while Rshid Alhassan was selected from Judo.
Sandra Mensimah Owusu, and Winifred Ntumi are from weightlifting with Deborah Acquah, and Benjamin Azamati from athletics, while Abeiku Jackson and Adjoa Forson were also selected from swimming.
At a short presentation at the Olympic House in Accra, Mr Ben Nunoo Mensah, President of the GOC, congratulated the athletes and advised them to use the money judiciously as every penny spent would be accounted for.
“This money is not for your personal use or for you to buy the latest phones and dresses. It is meant to support your training and activities towards your qualification to the Olympic Games in Paris come 2024.
“As you have already been told, at the end of every quarter, your progress and expenditure would be evaluated and whoever is not able to make accounts of the money given would be withdrawn from the scholarship,” he said.
Weightlifter, Winnifred Ntumi who spoke to GNA Sports after the presentation thanked the Ghana Weightlifting Federation headed by Mr. Jerry Ahmed Shaib and the Ghana Olympic Committee for nominating her and her colleague, Sandra Owusu for the scholarship.
She assured that the money would be used for its intended purpose and that she would work hard to get a slot for Ghana to be represented at the Olympics in weightlifting.
