National Cycling Championship: Amu, Farrakhan triumph at Ablekuma

Francis Amu of Fenton Curley Group (FCG) delivered a stunning performance to clinch victory at this year’s National Cycling Championship held in Olebu, Ablekuma, in the Greater Accra Region last Saturday.

The 30-year-old professional cyclist outpaced a strong field of experienced riders and a peloton of youthful challengers to secure the title in a gruelling 100km Criterium.

The race, comprising eight laps of 12.5km completed in 20-minute intervals, saw Amu cross the finish line in two hours, 37 minutes, and 20 seconds, clocking an impressive average speed of 38.14km per hour. Emmanuel Sesi of Royal Stars came in second, narrowly behind with a time of two hours, 37 minutes, and 29 seconds, while Frank David Akuffo Awuku of Team TBT secured third place with an identical time as Sesi.

This year’s event marked the tenth anniversary of the annual championship, drawing 21 male cyclists from 12 cycling clubs across the country.

Anim wins women’s race

In the women’s 50km road race, rising star Ellen Anim of Team Sky stole the show, finishing in 1 hour, 46 minutes, and 1 second at an average speed of 28.30km per hour.

Abigail Tetteh of River Park, Greater Accra Region, claimed the second spot with a time of one hour, 47 minutes, and 10 seconds.

The championship also featured individual time trials for junior and elite teams. Among the highlights was the remarkable performance of Farrakhan Shaaban Mohammed of River Park, Eastern Region, who dominated the men’s junior 25km race.

Mohammed completed the two-lap event in 38 minutes and 10 seconds, maintaining an average speed of 39.30km per hour.

Anwar Sadat Abudu of River Park, Greater Accra Region, finished in second position in a time of 43 minutes and two seconds, while Pious Mensah, also of River Park, completed the podium with a time of 46 minutes.