Martha Bissah: Meet the first and only Ghanaian to win the Olympic Youth Gold medal
She competed in the Women’s 800m event, finishing first with a time of 2:04.90, ahead of Ethiopia’s Ham Alemu Negeri and Germany’s Mareen Kalis, who took second and third places, respectively.
Martha’s remarkable achievement earned her widespread acclaim from the public and support from the government at the time.
She was invited to the Jubilee House, where she met then-President John Dramani Mahama, who congratulated her and encouraged her to stay focused on her career.
However, her journey faced challenges when she encountered issues with the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA). Martha claimed that the GAA attempted to extort money from her, which she refused.
The GAA denied her allegations and demanded proof, which she could not provide, leading to a six-year suspension.
After reviewing the case, the Executive Council of the GAA lifted her suspension, allowing her to compete for Ghana in various tournaments.
Despite these setbacks, Martha’s athletic career experienced a decline due to her conflicts with the GAA and other authorities in Ghana.
Her record as the only Ghanaian to win an Olympic Youth Gold medal remains unbroken.
View the twweet about Martha Bissa’s athletics perfomance below:
