Former World Boxing Organisation (WBO) super bantamweight champion, Isaac Dogboe and Black Stars and Athletico Madrid’s midfielder Thomas Partey well vie for the coveted 2018 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 with over 40 others who are to be honoured in their various disciplines was released last Saturday in Accra.
Partey will also challenge four other footballera, 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 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.
Coach of the Year award goes to hockey 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.
The national team of the year award is a contest betweein the Ghana Rugby Men’s team, The Ghana Eagles, and national wrestling team, The Golden Arms.
The president of the Ghana Badminton Association, Evans Kojo Yeboah looks like picking the Association President / Chairman from Ghana Armwrestling Association president Charles Osei Assibey.
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; they are the Binatone Ghana Limited, Greater Accra Handball Association and kickboxer Jonathan Euro.
The others are Casely Hayford Hall, Ghana Revenue Authority, Akwasi Frimpong, Kofikrom Pharmacy and Albert K Frimpong.
STORY BY Sammy Heywood Okine