Dethroned World Boxing Organisation (WBO) super bantamweight champion, Isaac Dogboe, will battle with Black Stars and Athletico Madrid’s ace Thomas Partey for the coveted MTN Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Sports Personality of the Year Award to be held later this year.
The annual awards ceremony to honour the nation’s illustrious athletes will see the two top contenders of the highest award on the night being given a run for their money by football administrator Anthony Baffoe who is also gunning for the enviable honour for the second time after winning the 2016 top prize.
The list of the over 40 nominees who are to be rewarded in their various disciplines was released last Saturday in Accra.
Partey will also challenge four others, namely John Antwi, a loanee from Egyptian club Al Ahly; Kotoko goalie Felix Annan, Kassim Nuhu of German club, Hoffenheim, and Joseph Aidoo of Genk in the Belgian First Division for the Male Footballer of the Year award.
For her superb performance at the recently held Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Uruguay, Black Maiden’s striker Mukarama Abdulai will contend with Black Queen’s Faustina Ampah and Black Princesses’ Grace Asantewaa for the Female Footballer of the Year award.
The stakes will be high for Coach of the Year award as hockey takes centre stage, with Ebenezer Frimpong of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Boakye Danquah (Exchequers) and Richmond Attipoe also of Exchequers vying for the award on the night.
Two teams will compete for the national team of the year award: The Ghana Rugby Men’s team, The Ghana Eagles, and national wrestling team, The Golden Arms.
The president of the Ghana Armwrestling Association, Charles Osei Assibey, will compete against Evans Kojo Yeboah, president of the Ghana Badminton Association, for the president of the year award.
Lightweight world title hopeful, Richard Oblitey Commey, will have a straight fight with Isaac Dogboe for the professional boxer of the year award, while Janet Amponsah and Jesse Lartey will scoop the athlete of the year and amateur boxer of the year, respectively.
National ping pong top seed Derek Abrefa and female ace player Celia Baah Danso will be rewarded with the male and female table tennis players of the year award, respectively.
Alberta Ampomah and Haruna Tahiru will take home the Armwrestler of the year award in both the female and male categories, respectively, while Michael Arko and Rafatu Inusah take awards in male and female rugby players of the year.
In para-athletics, Frederick Assor and Haruna Tahiru will go home with respective awards and golfer Kojo Barni takes home the professional golfer of the year award.
Female athlete Hor Halutie is expected to be rewarded the prospect of the year, while ping-pong player Samuel Akayade and hockey ace Dennis Ababio will receive awards for dedication and valour.
Boxing promotion outfit, Cabic Promotions will take the award for promoter of the year. There will be eight special awards for individuals, corporate entities and persons on the night.
They are the Binatone Ghana Limited, Greater Accra Handball Association and kickboxer Jonathan Euro.
The rest are Casely Hayford Hall, Ghana Revenue Authority, Akwasi Frimpong, Kofikrom Pharmacy and Albert K Frimpong.
Credit: Graphic
