Ghanaian sprinter James Dadzie set a new national record in the men’s 200m race on Saturday night at the Crofoot Shootout in Lubbock, Texas, with a time of 19.79s (+1.3m/s).
He achieved the feat by cutting 0.29 seconds off Joseph Amoah’s national record of 20.08 seconds, which was achieved three years ago, and has become the first Ghanaian athlete to run a 200m race under 20 seconds.
The time will make him eligible for the next World Athletic Championships but for the wind readings which will need to be ratified.
The former University of Ghana student also starred earlier in the 100m of the same competition clocking a time of 9.89 seconds (w +3.2) which is the fastest time achieved by a Ghanaian regardless of the conditions.
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Dadzie jumps from 39th to 5th on Africa’s all-time 200m list, trailing Namibia’s Frank Fredericks (19.68s, Aug 1996), South Africa’s Clarence Munyai (19.69s, Mar 2018), Nigeria’s Divine Oduduru (19.69s, Jun 2019), and Isaac Makwala (19.77s, Jul 2017) from Botswana.
Prior to shattering the record, Dadzie began the season with a personal best time of 20.24 seconds (w+1.9) in the 200m at the 2023 Ross Black Open in New Mexico.
He also recorded a personal best of 10.07 seconds in the 100m in the Oliver Jackson championship earlier this year.
