Ghana Athletics Federation (GAF) President, Prof. Francis Dodoo, says he is optimistic 800m runner Martha Bissah will run faster than her current time. The budding athlete earned the Most Outstanding Track Athlete honours at the MEAC Indoor Track & Field Championships last Saturday, winning two more gold medals in addition to two from earlier in the week as the Spartan women placed fourth at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex.
The teenage sensation clocked a time of 2:11.04 to win her favourite 800m. She also ran the anchor leg for the Spartans’ 4×400-metre relay team that finished fourth in their heat.
The 2014 Youth Olympic Games gold medallist has been performing creditably for Norfolk State University and Ghana’s athletics chief believes the youngster has the potential to perform even better.
“She is doing well and running well and other athletes too are doing quite well this season. She’ got the talent and what she did in 2014 [at the Youth Olympics in Nanjing] proved that,” Prof. Dodoo told GNA Sports.
“She ran well this season and hopefully she will run faster than her time. I wish her well.” It will be recalled that the GAF handed Bissah an indefinite suspension for indiscipline and bringing the name of the federation into disrepute. She was barred from competing in GAF-sanctioned events, as well as representing the nation at any international athletics competition.
Prof. Dodoo described Bissah as a talented athlete and urged her to focus and concentrate on her education and sport to excel. “When Martha left Ghana, the statement I made was that, I was very happy she’s been able to go because of the ‘wahala’ she was in here.
“She was between two factions. So to me, I thought once she got out, she would get the freedom to focus and concentrate on what matters in life; and for somebody her age, the two things that she needs to focus on are her education and her sport and I think that the opportunity offered her has been good.
“Martha has got the talent and hopefully, the people who helped her with the school did well to place her in a school with a coach for the event she is competing in.’’
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