The University of Cape Coast (UCC) lived up to its ‘host and win’ mantra to emerge winners with 18 gold, 18 silver and 17 bronze medals at the just ended 28th edition of Ghana Universities Sports Association (GUSA 2024) Games held in Cape Coast.
This is the first time in ten years that a university has hosted and won the games.
The University picked up seven trophies from basketball (male and female), hockey (female), netball (female), volleyball (male and female) and tennis (male).
The defending champions, University of Education, Winneba (UEW) also won seven trophies from beach volleyball (female), goalball (male) handball (male and female), badminton (male and female), and table tennis (female).
The University of Ghana (UG) won five trophies, from athletics (male and female), beach volleyball (male), goal ball (female) and hockey (male).
The two-week games which were held on the theme:‘Repositioning University Sports for National Development.”
The University of Ghana, Legon placed second with 15 gold, 12 silver and 15 bronze medals to place second on the table.
University of Education, Winneba (UEW) came third with 14 gold, 18 silver and nine bronze medals.
The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) took the fourth position with 14 gold, 13 silver and nine bronze medals.
The Vice- Chancellor of UEW, Prof. Stephen Jobson Mitchual with atheletes of UEW
Taking the fifth position was the University of Development Studies (UDS) with seven gold, eight silver and nine bronze medals while University of Energy and Natural Resources (UNER) took the sixth position with one gold and five bronze medals.
Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD UBIDS) clinched the seventh position with a gold and bronze.
The Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU) and Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills, Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) shared the eighth position with a bronze each.
Addressing the closing ceremony, the President of GUSA, Shaibu Tanko Ibrahim, commended the athletes for exhibiting their individual skills and talents.
He lauded the local organising committee for their hard work which culminated in the success of the games.
Mr. Ibrahim called for investments in the existing sports facilities across the universities and the country as a whole.
The Vice Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong addressing the gathering
For his part, the Vice Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong, said the availability of resources was important in supporting university sports, as universities were the fertile grounds to produce highly disciplined and professional sports talent.
“This support is crucial for developing sports professionals who can represent our national teams effectively,” he said.
He indicated that there was a vast reservoir of untapped talent within the universities that the nation could explore to strengthen our national teams.
Prof. Boampong further said: “As academic institutions, we recognise the vital role that sports play in national development.”
Source: Documentation and Information Section