U-19 Junior National Badminton team, Ghana’s Golden Shuttlers, returned home on Friday evening to a rousing welcome at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra.
The Shuttlers arrived by a Kenya Airways flight, after emerging champions in the 2024, All Africa Youth Badminton championship in Senegal.
The team won three gold medals and a bronze medal in the competition, and they were met by fans and supporters in the national colours.
In the mixed relaxed team category, Ghana defeated Benin 60-50 aggerate to emerge winners. The team included Addo Leslie, Nii Adote, Adu-Minta Obapomba, Ankrah Jonathan, Amofa Andy, Moslena Ama Korama Adu, Quarcoo Racheal, and Awa Camara.
In the men’s triple team category, Ghana beat South Africa 3-1 to win gold, and the team consisted of Addo Leslie, Nii Adote, Adu-Minta Obapomba, and Ankrah Jonathan.
In the women’s triple category, Ghana beat Algeria 3-1 to win gold, with the team comprising Adu Moslena Ama Korama, and Quarcoo Racheal.
President of the Ghana Badminton, Mr. Evans Yeboah, congratulated the team for their excellent performance.
“The results achieved by winning three gold medal and one bronze has put us in that pedestal, which gives us the avenue for the sport,” he stated.
He indicated that the sport of Badminton was trifling and with the result that had been achieve by the kids, “it is something that is propelling each and every individual and stakeholders to help to be able to move to the next level.”
He said, “having also qualified for the World championship this gives us an avenue for us to be able to spearhead the country’s sports to that heigh it needs.”
“We are excited that there is a lot of collaboration with the Ghana Olympic Committee, National Sports Authority, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Tebal Ghana during the campaigning and training period at the Borteyman Sports,” Mr Yeboah.
“We had all the support that we needed from government which had been very good to what we needed to do,” he added.
“Every kid on the street, school, wants to get involve in the game and we are excited with all the requests that are coming, we urge all cooperate institutions to get closer to us for us to be able to expand the growth of the sport,” he stressed.
Head Coach of the team, Coach Moses Adu, expressed his gratitude to the athletes for the excellent work done and urged them to continue to make themselves and the country proud.
“We played Badminton and Air badminton thus two events, with the Air Badminton it was the first time organised in Africa and Ghana is the first country to have won that event and we retained the Badminton tittle as well,” he added.
“For now, if any country can boast of anything, Ghana is the first country to have won the Air Badminton and we have to maintain this glory,” Mr Adu highlighted.
Deputy Captain who spoke on behalf of players, Moslena Ama Korama Adu, also expressed their excitement and pledged to win more medals for the country in the future.
“It wasn’t easy nor difficult but with God everything was possible, throughout our training our coach was helping us in the training and we never let him down,” she said.
“I have been playing Badminton for five years now, so I see myself reaching up for the World medals,” she added.
