Grace Mintah, a policewoman made history this year by clinching gold in the women’s 80 kilogramme (kg) category at the 2024 World Armwrestling Championship in Moldova.

Mintah emerged victorious against formidable opponents from Sweden, Ukraine, Germany, and Turkey in a nail-biting finale that went into overtime. Her triumph marked a historic moment for Ghana as she became the first Ghanaian to win a world championship medal, securing gold in the Master Women 80kg left-arm contest.

Mintah has dominated the African armwrestling scene since 2019, winning back-to-back African Championships and earning double gold at the 2023 African Games.  

Her closest contender, Rose Amoanimaa Yeboah, has been equally phenomenal in the athletics world. Yeboah cemented her status as a high jump star by winning gold at the 2024 African Athletics Championship in Cameroon, adding to her earlier victory at the 13th African Games in Ghana. This year, she shattered the national high jump record at the NCAA Division I Championship by clearing 1.97 metres, securing her qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics and making her Ghana’s first female field athlete to qualify for the Games. At just 21, Yeboah’s consistency, which includes back-to-back continental gold medals, places her among the country’s brightest Olympic prospects.  

While the contest for the Sports Personality of the Year award draws most of the attention, the 49th SWAG Awards scheduled to take place at the Accra International Conference Centre on Friday, January 24, 2025, at 6 pm will also celebrate achievements across multiple categories. 

Nominees for the Male Athlete of the Year include Joseph Paul Amoah, Edwin Gadayi, and Cadman Evans Yamoah for Male Athlete of the Year, while Rose Amoanimaa Yeboah is also vying for Female Athlete of the Year.  

The Black Princesses, Black Sticks Ladies, Black Satellites, Black Challenge, and the Athletics Relay Team are in contention for the National Team of the Year award.

In football, FC Samartex and Dreams FC are competing for the Male Club of the Year, while Hasaacas Ladies and Royal Ladies Hockey Club battle for the Female Club of the Year.  

Other standout nominees include William Amponsah, Mariam Yussif, and Naseera Efua Kwansah for Student Athlete of the Year. 

In the coaching category, Joseph Basigi, Desmond Offei, and Husseini Akuetteh Addy are among the contenders for Coach of the Year. 

For the Referee/Umpire of the Year, nominees include Nii Otoo Larkyne for armwrestling and Julien Nunoo for football. The Prospect of the Year category features Abdul Aziz Issah from football and Blessed Abeka Nunoo from armwrestling. 

The Discovery of the Year nominees include Jada Yankey from swimming and Ayisha Aminu from golf, while the Posthumous Award will honour the late Dr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah.  

Nominees for the Meritorious Award include Mr Ernest Thompson for football, Dr Kwaku Ofosu-Asare for his role in the 13th African Games, and Ernest Danso, also recognised for his contribution to the 13th African Games. The Dedication and Valour Award sees nominees such as Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah Asare for cricket, Hannah Akua Humphrey for taekwondo, and Carl Lokko as a professional boxing trainer, alongside Joseph Yaw Appiah and Alhaji Grunsah for their contributions to football.  

In the Puller of the Year category, Edward Yamoah Asamoah from Ghana Immigration Service and Grace Mintah of the Ghana Police Service will battle for the male and female honours, respectively. The Weightlifter of the Year award has Winifred Ntumi as the standout nominee, while the Taekwondo Athlete of the Year features Erica Tuagbor and Kelvin Amuzu. 

Abeiku Jackson has been nominated for Swimmer of the Year, while Beach Soccer Player of the Year sees Alexander Adjei competing for the honours. For Table Tennis Player of the Year, Israel Aklie and Joanita Borteye are the nominees. In hockey, Benjamin Acquah of Exchequers Hockey Club and Elizabeth Opoku of GRA Ladies Hockey Club have been nominated for Male and Female Hockey Player of the Year, respectively, with Mavis Ampem Darko of Army Ladies Hockey Club also nominated for the female award.  

The Boxer of the Year will be contested between Amadu Mohammed and Joseph Commey, while the Sports Administrator/President of the Year features Bernard Quartey of the Ghana Boxing Federation, Charles Osei Asibey of the Ghana Armwrestling Federation, and Bawa Fuseini of Ghana Athletics.  

The SWAG Top Five Federations include the Badminton Association of Ghana, Ghana Hockey Association, Ghana Armwrestling Federation, Ghana Taekwondo Federation, and Ghana Athletics. Other nominees include the Ghana Swimming Association, Ghana Boxing Federation, and Ghana Football Association. 

For football, Female Footballer of the Year – Home Based includes Ophelia Serwaa Amponsah from Ampem Darkoa Ladies, Grace Banwa from Hasaacas Ladies, and Mukarama Abdulai, also of Hasaacas Ladies. The Female Footballer of the Year – Foreign Based features Thelma Baffoe Atuah of TP Mazembe, Salamatu Abdulai from Swieqi United in Malta, and Jennifer Kankam Yeboah of ZED FC in Egypt.  

The Male Footballer of the Year category will see Emmanuel Keyeke from FC Samartex, Stephen Amankona from Berekum Chelsea, and Abdul Aziz Issah of FC Barcelona in contention.  

The 49th SWAG Awards will also recognise exceptional contributors through the SWAG President’s Award and the SWAG Long Service Award – Media, alongside celebrating the SWAG Sports Journalist of the Year.

As the countdown to the event begins, all eyes will be on Grace Mintah and Rose Yeboah, two trailblazers who have raised the flag of Ghana high on the global stage.