Top high-performing sporting personalities are expected to be in attendance at the 47th SWAG Awards.
The 2022 SWAG Awards, which takes place on the 28th of January 2023 at the Accra International Conference Center, have Benjamin Azamati, Mohammed Kudus, and Arsenal star Thomas Partey are all in contention for top gongs.
Hearts of Oak attacker Daniel Afriyie Barnieh is in the running to retain the Home-based Footballer Award of the Year – an award he won at last year’ event. However, he would have ex-AshantiGold forward Yaw Annor and Asante Kotoko goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim to beat.
In last year’s edition, Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games medalist Samuel Takyi bagged the Sports Personality of the Year and Amateur Boxer of the Year awards. Meanwhile, the 22-year-old is absent from this year’s list of nominees which means a new champion would be crowned on the big night in Osu.
Sprinter Joseph Paul Amoah, amateur boxer Abraham Mensah, and Ajax Amsterdam star Kudus are the three candidates who could replicate the feat achieved by Takyi in December 2021.
26-year-old medical practitioner Dr. Kwabena Adu Poku has been named as the 2022 Chess Player of the Year while Kelvin Alphous would be crowned the Badminton Player of the Year for the second year running.
The race is even more hottest for the Athlete of the Year award with top guns Benjamin Azamati and Joseph Paul Amoah in an open contest for the prize.
In the female category, Tripler jumper Abigail Kwarteng and USA-based Deborah Acquah along with high jumper Rose Yeboah are all in the gunning for the big award. Kwarteng (triple jumper) and Acquah (long jumper) who both competed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, UK are in pole positions for the accolade. But, home-based Rose Yeboah boast of a rich voting constituency that has been left impressed with her delivery. Yeboah, who won the Prospect of the Year Award at the 2019 edition, would be hoping to mount the podium once more.
Police Officer Grace Mintah has been nominated for the Female Armwrestler of the Year Award.
During the launch of the awards, the Sports Writers Association of Ghana, SWAG, announced the criteria for nominations for the 47th Awards back in August 2022.
Leading Ghanaian mining firm Adamus Resources Limited has become a joint headline sponsor together with MTN Ghana to the 47th Awards, the parties announced in a brief ceremony in Accra in December.
Ghanaian Afropop and Afrobeats singer Wendy Shay, budding comedian O.B. Amponsah, gospel artiste Perpetual Didier, and young singer Ashley Chuks would all perform at the event.
