Ghana’s canoeing programme announced its arrival on the continental stage with a historic bronze medal performance at the ongoing Africa Youth Games Angola 2025 held in Luanda from December 10 to 20, 2025. The Ghanaian duo of Maxwell Ofoi and Okronipa Ohene Emmanuel clinched third place in the highly competitive 12 nation 1000 metres Canoe Double (C2) event marking Ghana’s maiden appearance in canoeing at the Games and securing a podium finish for Team Ghana.
Against more established canoeing nations the young paddlers refused to be intimidated powering through the waters with courage, discipline and determination. Stroke after stroke they matched strength with strategy holding their nerve in a demanding race that tested endurance and mental toughness. Their bronze medal not only marked a personal triumph but also signalled a major milestone for a growing sport in Ghana making their debut memorable with a continental podium finish.
Kamal Sulley, President of the Ghana Rowing and Canoeing Federation who also served as Chef de Mission for Team Ghana and officiating official at the event described the achievement as a significant leap forward. The performance represents major improvement compared to Ghana’s showing at the recent Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) Schools Games in Algiers. The progress shown by these young athletes is remarkable and a clear indication that Ghana is moving in the right direction in rowing and canoeing according to the federation president.
The duo’s impressive showing has not gone unnoticed beyond Africa with international observers at the Games selecting Maxwell Ofoi and Okronipa Ohene Emmanuel for a high performance training camp in South Africa scheduled for January 2026. The training camp represents a crucial preparation phase toward the Junior World Cup Championship in Poznań, Poland providing the young Ghanaian paddlers with advanced technical instruction and exposure to international training standards that will enhance their competitive capabilities.
Ghana competed in 16 sporting disciplines at the Africa Youth Games including Athletics, Badminton, Basketball 3×3, Beach Volleyball, Boxing, Canoeing, Cycling, Fencing, Golf, Judo, Karate Do, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Taekwondo and Weightlifting. About 70 athletes and coaches departed Accra on December 10, 2025 carrying Ghana’s sporting hopes as they prepared to face the continent’s best talents in Angola. The wide spread of disciplines enhanced the country’s prospects of securing medals at the continental showpiece.
Richard Akpokavie, President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) led a high powered delegation to Luanda alongside Secretary General Mohammed Muniru Kassim to inspire, motivate and stand firmly behind Team Ghana. The leadership’s presence injected fresh energy into Ghana’s campaign representing more than a courtesy visit but a bold statement of commitment to youth development, athlete welfare and sustained sporting excellence. The GOC functions as Ghana’s National Olympic Committee and as its representative to both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF).
Akpokavie stated before the team’s departure that the aim is to provide young talents with opportunities they need to advance their sporting careers. The shared goal is to provide talented youth with the best opportunities for international exposure and growth by investing in their future through sending a fully supported team ready to compete at the highest level. He expressed appreciation to Kofi Iddie Adams, Minister for Sports and Recreation and the Government for backing the team’s participation in the competition.
The 4th Africa Youth Games Luanda 2025 took place in Angola, the first Lusophone country to host them coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence. This major continental multi sport event brought together up to 54 African nations and young athletes aged 14 to 17 years old in approximately 33 sports disciplines across six host cities including Luanda, Benguela, Lubango, Huambo, Moçâmedes and Caxito. The Games aim to promote sport, discover and develop talents for competitions such as the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games for which they serve as qualifiers and to foster integration and cultural exchanges among African countries.
The Games featured traditional African games Kiela, a traditional Angolan mancala style board game and Wela, a related strategic board game variant highlighting elements of African sporting heritage within a modern multi sport framework. In addition to sport the African Youth Games are intended to promote Olympic values, inclusion, cultural exchange and unity among African countries giving young athletes the chance to learn from one another on and off the field of play.
For a sport still finding its footing in Ghana this bronze medal represents more than just hardware as it tells a story of belief, sacrifice and steady growth proving that with commitment and opportunity Ghanaian athletes can compete and excel on the global stage. The achievement demonstrates that investment in lesser known sports can yield significant returns with Ghana’s canoeing programme showing remarkable progress despite limited resources and infrastructure compared to more established sporting nations.
The success at Angola 2025 builds on Ghana’s growing reputation in water sports with the country making strides in both rowing and canoeing over recent years. The Ghana Rowing and Canoeing Federation has worked to identify and develop young talent providing training opportunities and competitive exposure that allows athletes to reach international standards. The federation’s efforts have now been validated with this historic bronze medal that opens doors for future success.
The selection of Maxwell Ofoi and Okronipa Ohene Emmanuel for the South Africa training camp and eventual participation in the Junior World Cup Championship in Poznań represents a significant opportunity for Ghana’s canoeing programme. International exposure at this level will accelerate the development of both athletes while raising the profile of canoeing within Ghana’s sporting landscape. Success at the Junior World Cup would further cement Ghana’s emergence as a competitive force in African and global canoeing.
As Ghana continues to invest in lesser known sports the success of the canoeing team at Angola 2025 stands as an inspiration to young athletes across the country demonstrating that even on a first appearance greatness is possible. The bronze medal serves as proof that with proper support, dedicated coaching and athlete commitment Ghana can compete successfully in disciplines beyond its traditional sporting strengths.
The Africa Youth Games serves as a crucial development platform for emerging athletes and a pathway to major competitions including the Youth Olympic Games. Ghana’s performance at the Games including the historic canoeing bronze medal reinforces the importance of continued investment in youth sports development and provides motivation for young Ghanaians to pursue excellence across diverse sporting disciplines.
The canoeing bronze medal achievement also highlights the effectiveness of Ghana’s sports development strategy which emphasizes broadening participation across multiple disciplines rather than concentrating resources only on traditional sports. This approach creates more opportunities for young athletes to discover their talents while positioning Ghana competitively across a wider range of international sporting events.
Looking ahead the Ghana Rowing and Canoeing Federation faces the challenge of building on this success by maintaining support for Maxwell Ofoi, Okronipa Ohene Emmanuel and other emerging paddlers while developing the infrastructure and coaching capacity needed to sustain long term competitiveness. The international recognition gained through this bronze medal should help attract additional resources and partnerships that can accelerate Ghana’s canoeing development.
The historic achievement by Maxwell Ofoi and Okronipa Ohene Emmanuel at the Africa Youth Games represents a watershed moment for Ghanaian canoeing demonstrating that with determination, proper preparation and competitive opportunities young Ghanaian athletes can reach continental podiums even in sports where the country lacks extensive tradition. Their bronze medal inspires confidence that Ghana’s investment in diverse sporting disciplines will continue yielding positive results on the international stage.