2024 GUSA Games: UG wins gold in men’s hockey after hard-fought victory over KNUST

Gabriel Tecco Mensah
Gabriel Tecco Mensah
3 Min Read

The University of Ghana (UG) has emerged victorious in the men’s hockey tournament at the 2024 Ghana University Sports Association (GUSA) Games, clinching the gold medal.

The final match was held on Sunday, January 12, at the hockey pitch of the University of Cape Coast’s (UCC) sports complex, where UG faced arch-rivals Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

In a tightly contested game, UG secured the win in the last quarter with a superb strike from Bright Ohene-Montey Okyere, assisted by Joseph Ntow Annobil. This decisive goal propelled UG to victory and secured the ultimate prize in men’s hockey.

After the game, Bright Okyere expressed his joy in an interview with Univers Sports, reflecting on his remarkable 10-year journey with UG’s hockey team. He noted that their outstanding performance had added another gold medal to Team UG’s tally.

“I would like to thank God for this great feat. This is where I started my GUSA journey in 2014, and I have played through all levels—from undergraduate to MA, MPhil, and now PhD. This happens to be my last game for the University. Apart from my loyalty, I’ve done well. I feel excited and proud that we’re adding another gold medal to the tally that the University of Ghana is yet to seek,” he said.

Assistant UG hockey coach Walter Brown also shared his thoughts on the victory, highlighting the challenges faced during the tournament. He commended the team’s resilience and dedication.

“Our team’s performance was outstanding. It was really tough for us, and we’ve given it our all to prepare for this moment. Officiating hasn’t been entirely favourable, but we persevered. Our boys played above themselves. Yesterday’s disappointment with the ladies’ team spurred them on. We came here to play not just for ourselves but for our female team as well. We’ve done what we can,” he stated.

UG fans ran to the field, overwhelmed with joy when the match was over

UG began their campaign with a penalty shootout victory over UCC in their first match. They went on to defeat the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) with an impressive 3-0 scoreline, and finally triumphed 1-0 against KNUST in the all-play-all format of the tournament.

UG’s men’s hockey team finished the competition at the top of the table with 8 points, while hosts UCC came close with 7 points to claim second place.

Story by: Gabriel Tecco Mensah | univers.ug.edu.gh

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