In 2023, Ghana made history. For the first time, an African nation hosted the African Para Games, and we were the proud hosts. Accra became a beacon of hope as athletes with disabilities from across the continent came together to compete, inspire, and redefine the limits of human strength.
From September 3 to 12, over 500 athletes from 18 countries gathered in Ghana’s capital. The city pulsed with energy as wheelchair basketball, amputee football, para powerlifting, and goalball took center stage across venues like the Accra Sports Stadium. But this event was more than just sport, it was a bold statement that disability doesn’t mean inability.
One of the most unforgettable moments came when Ghana’s national amputee football team, the Black Challenge, stunned Morocco with a 2–1 win in the final. The crowd roared, the nation celebrated, and a new chapter in Ghanaian sports was written. Meanwhile, the Black Optimists, Ghana’s para powerlifting team, added their shine, hauling in 15 medals at a key regional competition.
Yet behind the spotlight lies a story of perseverance. Most of our para-athletes train in everyday spaces, public courts, open fields, and old sports centers not built with accessibility in mind. Some train on cracked concrete. Others lift weights under makeshift shelters, exposed to the sun and rain. These are far from ideal conditions, but they’ve become arenas of transformation.
Coaching remains a challenge, too. There’s a critical shortage of specialized trainers. Many para-athletes are coached by former athletes, volunteers, or multi-sport coaches who have taught themselves how to support athletes with disabilities. They may not have formal certifications, but they make up for it with dedication and an unshakable belief in their athletes.
Finding talent is another unique story in Ghana. There’s no formal scouting system or school-based competition structures for para-sports. Instead, talent is discovered through deep community work, rehabilitation centers, local outreach, and word-of-mouth referrals. It’s grassroots in the purest sense.
Take the Go Get Dem Wheelchair Racing Club in Accra, for example. It has become a sanctuary for athletes looking to test their limits and find purpose through sport. Coaches visit schools, churches, and marketplaces to spot young people with physical impairments, encouraging them to take up sports like wheelchair basketball or powerlifting. These clubs often operate with barely enough equipment or funding, but what they do have is unstoppable passion.
And Ghana’s rising stars are beginning to shine on the global stage. Just recently, Zinabu Issah made headlines again by winning gold in the women’s F57 discus throw at the WPA 2025 Grand Prix in Marrakech. Her name is becoming synonymous with excellence and determination, inspiring a whole new generation of athletes
