The Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Nii Lantey Vanderpuye has on behalf of Government and the Ministry congratulated members of the National Weightlifting team, the Black Cranes for excelling at the just ended Commonwealth’s International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) championship in Penang, Malaysia.

The Black Cranes team made up of Christian Amoah, Richard Osafo and UK-based Forrester Osei together won two gold medals, a silver and a bronze during the week-long competition.

The Minister issued the statement today when he welcomed the team at the Kotoka International Airport.
Welcoming the team, the Minister expressed government’s appreciation to the Black Cranes for demonstrating their patriotism and commitment to achieve such a tremendous feat for the country in spite of the Ministry’s financial challenges.

Hon. Nii Lantey Vanderpuye expressed optimism in the surge of lesser funded sports in the country. “What we are seeing in cricket, hockey, volleyball, swimming and now weightlifting is an indication that the lesser funded sports are on the rise and it will not be surprising for Ghana to be successful at the next Olympic games in Japan”. The Minister added.

The Youth and Sports Minister also thanked the coach Prof. Kyle Pierce and the sponsors of the Black Cranes who made it possible for the team to partake in the competition and excelled.

With such a huge momentous achievement from the weightlifters, the Sports Minister said government would show it gratitude to the team as a way of motivation for future laurels.