Gladiator Cycling Club is seeking to deepen the connection between cycling and Ghana’s history with the annual Osagyefo Criterium, an event dedicated to the memory and legacy of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
The latest edition of the programme was held at the Borteyman Sports Complex, bringing together cyclists while providing Gladiators with an opportunity to celebrate the legacy of the former president through sport.
For the organisers, however, the event goes beyond the competition itself.
Gladiator Cycling Club’s media representative, Nathaniel Hammond, said the club stages the criterium almost every year as a tribute to Dr Nkrumah, whom they regard as a significant figure in Ghana’s history and a leader whose influence extended across Africa.
He said the club was proud of the cyclists who participated but indicated that the broader objective was to sustain the programme and give the Osagyefo Criterium a stronger place on the national cycling calendar.
“Expectations were high, and at the end of the day, we are very proud of all the cyclists that did,” Hammond said.
The club is also looking ahead to expanding the programme, with plans for a bigger heritage ride to Nkroful in 2027 as part of efforts to further connect cycling with the history of Dr Nkrumah.
Hammond said Gladiator Cycling Club wants more people to become involved in cycling and encouraged members of the public to join the sport.
The Osagyefo Criterium therefore serves a dual purpose for the club — providing a competitive platform for cyclists while preserving the memory of one of Ghana’s most prominent historical figures through an annual sporting event.
On the racing side, Ellen Anim emerged winner of the Elite Women’s 67km event after completing six laps at an average speed of 30.594km/h.
Meelubari finished second, with Mary Sunday Samuel taking third, while Gutten Cycling Team’s Abigail Tetteh placed fourth, 22 seconds behind the winner. Subsea’s Patience Otuodung finished fifth and Enerst Happiness sixth, with all six starters completing the race.
Anim received GH¢7,500 for the victory, while Meelubari and Sunday Samuel earned GH¢4,000 and GH¢2,000 respectively.
