Nana Verna is one of eight U-7 and U-10 athletes from the USA, UK and Canada, who competed in Ghana’s Junior Olympics.

She participated in the long jump events, but it was on the track she stole the hearts of onlookers - alongside Imani Nimako - in the U7 60m dash. 

She won a gold medal and was draped in a Ghana flag for the celebrations, which were accompanied by cheers from a rapturous crowd.

When she mounted the podium - alongside other U7 winning athletes - Nana was ecstatic during the ‘photoshoot’, but had only one request for her mom.

“Send the picture to my dad!”

She made the trip to Ghana with her mom.

“My dad is in the UK and he will be so happy,” was her response when asked if she knew how her father would react once he found out she won a medal.

But she wants almost ‘little’ in terms of rewards from her father.

“I want him to give me a penny and a trophy.”

Together with the seven other U-7 and U-10 athletes with UK, USA and Canadian nationalities, Nana competed for the Great Ashantis Athletics Club.

“I feel great,” describing the moment where she had the medal around her neck.

Asante Brown competed in the U-10 100m and long jump events, and on the final day of the Junior Olympics, won U10 100m bronze and long jump gold.

But prior to that final, he dazzled the track a day before: “I was a bit nervous to race, but once I stepped on the track, I wasn’t nervous anymore; It felt good.”

The first edition of Junior Olympics saw just a little over 300 athletes, but this year’s had over 1,200 athletes, including the young ones from UK, USA and Canada - who had their parents in full show at the Baba Yara stadium.

“The natural ability [in Ghana] outweighs what you see in America. Yes, from a young age, children are very involved in diverse sports in America, but the raw talent here has taken my children to another level. I know when they go back to America and they compete - because they’ve been running against these Ghanaian children, it’ll push them to an advantage,” Brown’s mother said.

Deon Vanhorne described as ‘great’ the feeling of winning gold in the U7 60m dash. His brother, Nolan, was a bit unlucky though, as he did not win any medals.

But winning a medal was just an added advantage for their grandfather, Gary.

“It keeps our kids fit, gets them off the streets and out of trouble.”