Ghana’s Golden Arms have received assurances of government recognition and continued support after presenting their four gold and four silver medals from the 2026 World Armwrestling Championships in India to the Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Iddie Adams, on Monday.
The team’s eight-medal achievement at the 47th World Championships in New Delhi represents a landmark performance for Ghanaian armwrestling, with Blessed Abeka Nunoo and Mabel Kwabeah Yeboah each winning double gold in the Junior and Youth Women’s 60kg divisions respectively.
Experienced campaigners also contributed to the historic haul, with Grace Minta claiming two silver medals in the Masters Women’s 80kg category, Florence Boakye Mensah adding another in the Masters Women’s over-90kg division, and Dodzi Asinu securing silver in the Masters Men’s 110kg category.
At the presentation ceremony, a minute’s silence was observed in honour of Alberta Boatemaa Ampomah, Ghana’s first Olympic weightlifter, also an armwrestling athlete and referee who died last Saturday after a short illness.
Minister Adams commended the Ghana Armwrestling Federation (GAF) for its organised leadership, investment in athlete development and officiating, and deliberate talent-identification drive across schools and tertiary institutions.
He said Ghana must celebrate athletes who deliver success and give them the recognition they deserve, promising to organise a special night out for the Golden Arms during the festive season.
“I want to make sure that we organise a proper evening of honour where we will meet and honour all of you for what it is that you have done,” he said.
The Minister also pledged continued collaboration with the federation, including efforts to secure armwrestling’s inclusion in the Olympic Games.
He encouraged the sport’s administrators to explore technology to improve training and performance, while pointing to potential technical and medical cooperation with Russia and Belarus.
GAF President Charles Osei Asibey said the team returned confident of making an impact after years of investment in the sport.
“For us, we knew we will come home with good news because we started some work, and we knew it was the opportune or the right time for us to tell the global body that through our performances,” he said.
Double gold medallist Nunoo attributed her success to discipline and preparation.
“It’s all down to hard work, determination and discipline. I won silver in Bulgaria last year and I vowed to do better, so I came and focused on training and I’m so delighted that I won gold this time,” she told the Graphic Sports.
