Yeboah, Mintah battle for SWAG top award
The Accra International Conference Centre will be under the spotlight on Friday as the 49th Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Awards unfold on a night of unmatched glamour and fierce competition for Ghana’s ultimate sporting accolade.
At the heart of the event is the thrilling contest for the prestigious Sports Personality of the Year award, a battle between two extraordinary women – Rose Amoanimaa Yeboah and Grace Mintah.
Added to the gravitas of the event, President John Dramani Mahama will grace the occasion as the special guest of honour, endorsing his commitment to the development of sports in Ghana.
Demonstrating his support, he will personally present the Sports Personality of the Year award, making the moment even more memorable for the winner.
The ceremony, which will be held on the theme: “Gold and Glory: A Call for Change in National Orientation and Investment in Sports”, will bring together the crème de la crème of athletes, coaches, and administrators to honour their outstanding achievements.
Armwrestling champion, Grace Mintah, and high jump star, Rose Amoanimaa Yeboah, two remarkable athletes whose exploits have defined Ghana’s sporting narrative in 2024, will go head-to-head for the ultimate prize -- the Sports Personality of the Year award.
Mintah made history by winning gold in the women’s 80kg category at the 2024 World Armwrestling Championship in Moldova, becoming the first Ghanaian to claim such a prestigious honour.
She also dominated the African scene, securing multiple African Championships and a double gold haul at the 2023 African Games held in Ghana.
Challenging Mintah is the 21-year-old high jump sensation Rose Yeboah, who has had an equally dazzling year.
Yeboah claimed gold at the 2024 African Athletics Championship in Cameroun and the 13th African Games in Ghana, smashing records along the way.
Her crowning achievement came at the NCAA Division I Championship in the USA, where she set a new national high jump record of 1.97 metres, earning her a place at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
As Ghana’s first female field athlete to qualify for the Summer Games, Yeboah stood out as one of Ghana’s top-performing stars of 2024.
Other awards
Beyond the headline award, the evening will recognise excellence across various categories. Nominees for the Male Athlete of the Year include Joseph Paul Amoah, Edwin Gadayi, and Cadman Evans Yamoah, while Rose Yeboah also takes home the Female Athlete of the Year title.
Teams like the Black Princesses, Black Sticks Ladies, and Athletics Relay Team will compete for National Team of the Year, while FC Samartex and Dreams FC will go head-to-head for Male Club of the Year.
Football fans can anticipate thrilling contests in the Male Footballer of the Year category, with Emmanuel Keyekeh, Stephen Amankona, and Abdul Aziz Issah in contention.
The Female Footballer of the Year nominees include Thelma Baffoe Atuah, Salamatu Abdulai, and Jennifer Kankam Yeboah, adding to the competitive nature of the awards.
Special honours will also be conferred, including posthumous recognition for Dr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah and Meritorious Awards for individuals such as Ernest Thompson and Dr Kwaku Ofosu-Asare, whose contributions have left a lasting legacy in Ghanaian sports.