July 25th, 2022 at 09:54 am

Alex Amankwa DISQUALIFIED from advancing further in the 800m athletics

The possibility of Ghana winning a gold medal at the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Oregon has been cut short. This follows after Alex Amankwa, Ghana’s National 800m holder was disqualified for a lane violation.

Amankwa looked poised to qualify for the semi-finals of the  Championship after ending a game as one of the athletes who have the best losing time. However, his expectation was short-lived on Thursday, 21st July 2022. This was when he got disqualified halfway through the race for a lane violation.

His disqualification was a disappointment to most Ghanaians and to himself as well. He was seen in uncontrollable tears as his dream of making it to the finals slipped from him.
The 25-year-old athletes came in the fourth position in heat 2, clocking a time of 1:45.92 in the 800m event.

Although there was a challenge against his qualification there was proof that he had violated a lane.

In 2017, Amankwa wrote his name in the history books of Ghana’s athletics when he set a record with a time of 1:44:80 during an 800-meter race.

ABOUT THE WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

The World Athletics Championships is an athletic competition that is held every two years and is organized by World Athletics. Together with the Olympic games, they portray the highest level championships of the topmost international athletics competitions that are held outdoor for track and field athletics worldwide. It also includes marathon running and races walking.

World Athletics also organizes separate World championships for other outdoor events like cross-country running and half-marathon, as well as indoor and age-group championships.
These world athletics championships began in 1976. As a result of the drop in the men’s 50km walk from the Olympic program, during a meeting with the International Olympic Committee.

After the championship was held, the next was held four years later until 1991 when they switched to a biennial cycle.