Ex-Bombers coach tips Omar for Rio success
Former national amateur boxing coach, Ofori Asare, has tipped his former protege, Abdul Wahid Omar, to end the nation's wait for a medal in boxing at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.
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Ghana's first three of four Olympic medals were won by boxers, Clement Quartey (silver in 1960), Eddie Blay (bronze in 1964) and Prince Amartey (bronze in 1972) with the other medal won by the national U-23 football team (Bronze in 1992).
Coach Asare believes the nation's 44-year wait for an Olympic medal in boxing is long overdue considering the nation’s rich history in the sport.
He said the only boxer in Ghana's 16-member contingent for the games, which starts on Saturday, had the skills required to end the medal drought.
"I know Wahid, I trained him from scratch and I know he is capable of winning a medal with a very good push from all Ghanaians," said Coach Asare, who guided Omar to a bronze medal in the Men's flyweight division at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
"The Olympic Games is a very big platform and all the people going to Brazil are well prepared. It has helped to build the professional careers of many boxers.
"I wish he was much more prepared than he is now, but it doesn't matter his level of preparation he has a fighting spirit when it comes to boxing."
"Ghana, has three medals in boxing in this Olympic, we need to add something to it and with him [Omar] being the lone ranger for boxing this year, I am hopeful that he will do something for the nation," Coach Asare contended.
Omar will begin his quest for a medal in the Men's bantamweight class on August 10.