Pole vault record fall at Kumasi athletics meet
Accra Hearts of Oak Chief Executive, Mr Harry Zakkour has resigned his position with effect from last Tuesday. A letter to this effect was on Wednesday handed to the chairman of the club’s Board of Directors, Mr Ato Ahwoi, in which Zakkour stated personal reasons for his decision to step down.
He said he needs to spend time with his family and business. The “Millennium Chairman” explained that the demands of the job compelled him to resign as the club boss as the Board of Directors are now advocating for a full time Chief Executive. “This requirement would not serve my private business well for which I willingly step down”, he stated. He however, continues to be a director of the club.
Mr Zakkour goes down as perhaps the most successful Chief Executive of the club, having guided the Phobians to four successive premier league titles, the African Champions League and Super Cup during his four-year tenure of office. Until a substantive Chief Executive is appointed, Mr Thomas Okine, Zakkour’s deputy, would see to the day-to-day administration of the premier league champions.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 14 February 2002 - Mr Garry Rathborne, Executive Producer of African Soccer show in South Africa and one of the organisers of MTN/CAF awards, has said Ghana's Samuel Osei Kuffour still stands a chance in being named the African footballer of the year despite a row with the GFA.
He said the award was meant for players who were outstanding in the year 2001 and added that since Kufour's alleged indiscipline was not within the year in questioned it could not affect him.
Kuffour, Deputy Skipper of the Black Stars, was axed from the youthful team in Mali after one match for an alleged misconduct. The Bayern Munich star is one of the three nominees for African's most prestigious award slated for South Africa on April 16.
Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o Fills and El Hadj Diouf of Senegal are the other contenders for the award. Mr Rothborne said Africans, as a way of giving out something, are now putting the award together which was previously organised by foreign agents. He said it is also in line with the development of the PAN African vision of football and to give inspiration to African footballers.
Many renowned sports journalists including Mark Gleeson of South Africa have tipped the Ghanaian defender to scale over his other two nominees because of his immaculate performance last year. He helped his German team to win the Bundesliga and the European Champions' League plus the Toyota Cup.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 14 February 2002 - Champion club, Accra Hearts of Oak will entertain city rivals and age-old foes Accra Greater Olympics in a testimonial match on Sunday at the Accra Stadium. The match will be in honour of Hearts’ prolific striker and three-time goalking, Ishmael Addo who is set to join tough French side Bastia for the coming season.
A press release issued by the Team Manager and deputy Chief Executive of Hearts, Mr Thomas Okine on Wednesday revealed that the occasion will recognise Ishmael’s contribution to the club’s success during his time with the team. Ishmael has been a first team regular in the Hearts side for three years with his performances proving imperative in three of the side’s five consecutive league titles.
His goal-scoring exploits with the club have also earned him the prestigious goalking award for three consecutive occasions and he has also been at the heart of his side’s African Champions League success in 2000.
On the international front, his pedigree has earned him the Under 17 goalking title at the World Cup Championship in New Zealand in 1999. It promises to be a great day for Hearts fans and “baby assassin” Ishmael.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 14 February 2002 - John Arthur of Opoku Ware School (OWASS) cleared 3.15 meters to set a new pole vault record at a two-day zone two Ashanti region Schools and Colleges athletics competition in Kumasi on Tuesday. The old record of 3.10 meters set in 2000, stood in the name of Kwame Kainya of the same school.
Opoku Ware won the competition bagging 174 points with Technology Secondary placing second with 97 points and Akumadan secondary came third with 66 points. The fourth place went to Konongo-Odumase secondary who scored 63 points with Atwimaman secondary taking the fifth position with 41 points followed at the sixth position by Saint Joseph's secondary with 34 points. Juaso Day secondary and Bompata Presbyterian secondary tied at the seventh position with 23 points each.
In the girls division, Konongo-Odumase took the first position with 84.5 points and were followed at the second position by Saint Louis secondary with 64 points while Bonwire secondary/technical was third with 55.5 points. The fourth position was taken by Technology secondary with 52 points while Akumadan placed fifth with 49.5 points. Juaso came sixth with 44 points and Bompata took the seventh position with 37 points.
Addressing the schools, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, stressed the need for second-cycle schools to run school programmes to provide equity in the delivery of every subject. This, he said, will enable students who were pro-academic and pro-sports to develop to the fullest of their capabilities. Sports, Mr Boafo emphasised that it is important in the process of self-development adding, "it is an important element in nation building because our participation in sporting activities foster friendship, tolerance and fair play".
Mr Samuel Mensah, Headmaster of Kumasi High School, noted that of late indiscipline had reared its ugly head in sports competitions with students engaging in smoking and rowdy behaviours. This, he noted, had led to some members of the public condemning sports competitions and stressed that sports is no grounds for indiscipline and immorality.
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