African Games 2023: Yamoah Cadman captivates crowd with stunning gold in men’s high jump

Ghanaian high jumper, Evans Yamoah Cadman, was the toast of fans at the University of Ghana Stadium, as he claimed a stunning gold medal in the men’s high jump event on the last day of athletics at the ongoing African Games.

The former University of Ghana student, roared on by students of the university who had trooped to support their alumnus, scaled a height of 2.23m to claim the gold ahead of Morocco’s Hammouda Saad and South Africa’s Benjamin Links Mpho.

The height is a new Personal Best for the University of Central Missouri final year student.

After skipping 1.90m up to 2.0m, Cadman started his jump at 2.05m and barely broke a sweat as he cleared the bar barely broke a sweat as he cleared the bar 6 times, requiring only one jump in all but one height.

Cadman and Saad both cleared 2.21m in one attempt, while Mpho joined them at the 3rd time of asking.

But 2.23m was where the title was won, with both the South African and Moroccan failing to clear the bar, while Cadman scaled it on his 3rd attempt, before breaking into ‘siuuuu’ celebration, made popular by football star Cristiano Ronaldo. The gold was won, and pandemonium ensued and Cadman reeled to celebrate with the teeming fans in the stands.

He came back to attempt 2.25, but he was unsuccessful in three attempts.

The high jump gold was Ghana’s second on the track on the last day, with Joseph Paul Amoah securing the 200m title an hour before Cadman.

The men’s high jump means Ghana completed the high jump double, with Rose Yebaoh, also winning gold in the women’s event.