200 For GNPC Ghana’s Fastest Human final

The Garden City of Kumasi will once again become the nation’s athletics capital as 200 young athletes descend on the Baba Yara Stadium for the final of 2017 GNPC Ghana’s Fastest Human competition.

The Ashanti Region remains the heartbeat for track and field events and it comes as little surprise that Saturday’s competition to be run under floodlights will be dominated by runners from the region in first and second-cycle institutions, as well as from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

The 200 finalists were selected after keenly contested zonal meets held in Sekondi, Tamale and the University of Ghana in Accra.
The GNPC-sponsored competition was launched in Accra by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and will climax with another distinguished personality in the person of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in attendance as the Special Guest of Honour.

According to Reks Brobby, initiator of the athletics talent-hunt programme, he expects a keener competition this year as a result of the fast times run by some of the qualifiers in the boys and girls competitions.  

“For the first time we are holding this event under floodlights and patrons can be guaranteed well-organised competition and very impressive performances from the athletes,” said Mr Brobbey, a former national sprinter who represented Ghana at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

“From what I have witnessed so far, I can say with certainty that this year’s final will be the most competitive with very good times expected.”

The finalists will compete for honours in 100 metres sprint events for boys under-10, girls u-10, boys u-15, girls u-15, boys u-18, girls u-18, and Seniors races for males and females.