Athlete Atsu Nyamadi is among the recipients of grants from the Ghana Olympic Committee to prepare for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia ©GOC

The Ghana Olympic Committee has announced grants totalling £5,000 ($6,600/€5,600) for seven of the country's athletes, in preparation for next April's Commonwealth Games in Australia's Gold Coast.

General secretary Richard Akpokavie said that the grants take the form of scholarships to aid the athletes in their preparations.

Athletes Emmanuel Dasor and Atsu Nyamadi, table tennis player Derek Abrefa, boxer Mohammed Azumah, badminton player Grace Atipaka, weightlifter Richmond Osarfo and Para-athlete Felix Acheampong are the athletes involved.

Akpokavie added that the initiative was "pursuant to applications received from Federations in respect of the Commonwealth Games grant".

"As indicated earlier each athlete is entitled to the equivalent of a maximum of £5,000 for preparation towards the Commonwealth Games in 2018," he said.

Derek Abrefa has received a grant from the Ghana Olympic Committee to help him prepare for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia ©GOC
Derek Abrefa has received a grant from the Ghana Olympic Committee to help him prepare for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia ©GOC

Dasor is a sprinter who specialises in the 200 metres and 400m, and represented his country last year at the World Indoor Championships. 

Nyamadi takes part in decathlon and won medals at the 2014 African Championships and 2015 African Games.

Abrefa has attracted attention since he beat the Republic of Congo's Saka Suraju at the 2015 African Games.

Osarfo won six medals at the Africa Weightlifting Junior and Youth Championship in Kampala, Uganda, last month.