Ghana’s presence at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games narrowed to one athlete after 17‑year‑old boxer Robert Tagoe Amartey fell in the 70kg quarter‑final on Tuesday (10 November) at the Dakar Expo. The bout, a split decision, saw Amartey lose to United Arab Emirates’ Moaz Mohamed, ending his campaign and the country’s medal hopes in the sport.
Amartey, who had received a bye in the Round of 16, entered the quarter‑final with the chance to secure a bronze medal if he could win the match. He opened aggressively, throwing a flurry of punches in the first half, but struggled to land cleanly. Mohamed settled into the contest, landing more effective shots and taking the first round by split decision, with four judges favouring him and one for Amartey.
The second round proved even tougher; Amartey received a warning for striking the back of Mohamed’s head, and the Emirati boxer again took the round by split decision. In the third and final round, Mohamed landed a heavy straight right that sent Amartey backwards, prompting a referee count. Despite a push from Amartey, Mohamed’s persistent clinching limited the Ghanaian’s attacks before the final bell.
Judges’ scores returned four in favour of Mohamed and one for Amartey, confirming the split‑decision loss. Earlier that day, Ghanaian sprinters Mary Coffie and Stephen Oduro finished ninth in their respective 400m hurdles finals. Eleven of Ghana’s 13 athletes at the Youth Olympic Games have now exited the competition without a medal. The remaining athlete, taekwondo competitor Jessica Mensah, is scheduled to compete on Wednesday.
