The immediate past President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) and current Vice Chairman of the ANOCA Marketing Commission, Ben Nunoo Mensah has pledged a cash reward for Ghana's sole remaining boxing medal hopeful at the ongoing 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Speaking with bantamweight boxer Amadu Mohammed by telephone on Thursday, Mr Mensah promised GH¢15,000 for a gold medal, GH¢10,000 for silver, and GH¢5,000 for bronze.
Mr Mensah, who also bears the traditional title HRH Nii Kojo Ashifie Papanyira I, is the Noryaa Mantse of the Ga State and Special Aide to the King of Accra.
A legacy of sporting success
Mr Mensah's tenure as GOC President was marked by notable achievements, including Samuel Takyi's historic bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which ended Ghana's 29-year Olympic medal drought.
Under his leadership, Ghana also won five medals (two silver and three bronze) at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and recorded a strong performance at the 13th African Games hosted in Accra in March 2024.
Beyond sports administration, he serves as a Board Member of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and is a member of both the ANOCA Games Commission and the Working Group on the African Games.
Ghana's lone boxing medal hopeful
Mohammed, who trains at the Sea View Boxing Gym in Jamestown, Accra, is Ghana's only guaranteed boxing medallist from the nine boxers who represented the country at the Games.
The 21-year-old southpaw booked his place on the podium with a hard-fought 4-1 split decision victory over England's Ellis Trowbridge in the bantamweight quarter-finals, earning judges' scores of 29-28, 29-28, 27-30, 29-28 and 29-28 at SEC Hall 5.
Ranked Africa's top bantamweight, Mohammed is the reigning African Games champion after winning gold at the 13th African Games in Accra in March 2024.
His rise has been marked by resilience. After losing his father at a young age, he was raised and mentored by his coach, Gabriel Allotey, overcoming significant personal challenges to become one of the Black Bombers' brightest prospects.
Semi-final test awaits
Mohammed will fight for a place in Saturday's gold medal bout when he takes on Australia's Jye Dixon in the men's bantamweight (55kg) semi-final on Friday, July 31. Dixon reached the last four after stopping Bangladesh's Md Rakib Hossain in the second round of their quarter-final contest.
The Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF) has rallied behind its leading boxer as he seeks to add another medal to Ghana's tally.
With para athlete Zinabu Issah already securing silver in the women's F57 shot put—Ghana's first medal of the Games—Mohammed now carries the nation's hopes of winning boxing gold.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games are being held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2.
