Don’t Expect Too Much From Ghana’s U20 Athletes – Bob Linking Urges Ghanaians
Ghana’s U20 athletics team has been urged to compete without the burden of excessive expectations as they prepare for their international competition at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Oregon, USA.
The Western North Regional Athletics President, Bob Linking, has appealed to Ghanaians to be patient with the young athletes, stressing that this is their first major international championship.
According to Bob Linking, some of the Ghanaian athletes became nervous upon arriving at the competition venue after seeing athletes from other countries already training. However, he believes the team has gradually settled and is gaining confidence.
Ghanaian athlete Godfred Opoku expressed optimism, saying, “We can do it.” He noted that the athletes are confident despite having to contend with challenging weather conditions.
“The weather has not been favourable because we are competing during the summertime. You can’t escape the sun, you have to adjust to it,” he explained.
Godfred Opoku and Aishatu Jaffar are set to represent Ghana in the 400m event, which is scheduled for the second day of the championship on Thursday, 6 August 2026.
Bob also revealed that the athletes are excited to be at the competition and eager to represent Ghana. He shared a touching moment involving an athlete from Mali, who arrived without a coach. In a show of sportsmanship and African unity, the Ghanaian coach has taken responsibility for training both the Ghanaian athletes and the Malian athlete.
Bob Linking concluded by reiterating his appeal to the public to temper expectations, emphasizing that these are young athletes competing on the international stage for the first time. He urged Ghanaians to support and encourage them regardless of the results, describing the championship as an important learning experience that will contribute to their future development.