Ghana’s Stephen Oduro Junior and Mary Coffie missed out on podium finishes in the men’s and women’s 400 metres hurdles, respectively, at the ongoing Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal.
Stephen Oduro Junior, a student of Prempeh College, finished eighth in the men’s 400m hurdles final after running from lane 3 in a time of 53.10.
The young Ghanaian had earlier booked his place in the final after clocking 53.03 seconds in the semi-finals, a performance which also marked a personal best.
In the women’s event, St. Louis Senior High School student Mary Coffie also finished eighth in the final. Running from lane 3, she crossed the finish line in 1:04.10
Mary had secured her place in the final after clocking 1:01.59 in the semi-finals.
Although the Ghanaian duo missed out on medals, Dakar 2026 gave Stephen and Mary valuable international experience in their first major competition outside Ghana.
The two young athletes will now look to build on their performances and continue their development as they prepare for future international competitions.
By: Victoria Kwofie
