–BY Issah Olegor
Ghana’s men’s 4x100m relay team came agonizingly close to securing automatic qualification to the 2025 World Athletics Championships, finishing third in their heat during the opening round of the World Relays in Guangzhou, China.
The performance, though spirited, now pushes Ghana into a do-or-die second round on Sunday for a final shot at qualification.
The Ghanaian quartet—comprising Barnabas Aggerh, Sean Safo Antwi, Joseph Paul Amoah, and Ibrahim Fuseni—clocked a competitive time in Heat 1 but were edged out by just 0.05 seconds by second-placed Poland. Great Britain & Northern Ireland won the heat convincingly, with Ghana settling for third place in a tightly contested race.
The top two finishers in each heat automatically advance to the World Championships.
Despite not clinching direct qualification, the narrow margin underlined Ghana’s competitiveness on the global sprinting stage.
The team’s chemistry and baton exchanges were commendable, but marginal timing differences at this elite level proved costly. France, considered pre-race favourites by some analysts, stumbled and finished fifth, behind fourth-placed Korea, while Colombia trailed in sixth.
Ghana’s hopes now rest on Round 2 of the relay qualifiers scheduled for Sunday, where teams that missed automatic slots will battle for the remaining few places at the World Championships.
The stakes couldn’t be higher, as another miss would mean the end of the road for Ghana’s sprint relay ambitions this season.
Historically, Ghana has shown flashes of brilliance in men’s sprint events, with individual athletes like Joseph Paul Amoah gaining international recognition.
However, consistent team relay performances have been elusive, often marred by baton mishaps or narrowly missing out on times.
Their participation in the World Relays is part of a broader national effort to reestablish Ghana as a competitive sprinting force globally.
With momentum on their side and lessons from Saturday’s heat fresh in mind, the team now faces the challenge of regrouping and delivering a flawless performance when it matters most.
Their journey to the World Championships hangs in the balance.
