Kyle Pierce, the head coach of the African nation's team, won the coach of the year accolade at the Ghana Sports Fans Awards.

The awards, organised by the Happy FM radio station in capital city Accra, are voted for by fans in the country.

Under Pierce's leadership in 2016, Ghana qualified a weightlifter for the Olympic Games on merit for the first time.

Christian Amoah finished in the top five at the African Championships and went on to finish 21st in the men's 85 kilograms category.

The country had previously had to rely on wildcard places through the Tripartite Commission. 

Ghana also won two gold medals, one silver and a bronze at the 2016 Commonwealth Championships in Penang in Malaysia.

GWF President Ben Nunoo Mensah praised Pierce and compared him to football managers Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola, the bosses at English Premier League sides Chelsea and Manchester City respectively.

"I want to personally say a big thank you to our head coach, Dr Kyle Pierce, who I always compare to the likes of Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola in football, because he is the finest weightlifting coach any country will love to have, his love and dedication for the sport and commitment to the development of young talents is unmatched and it was through his brain-work together with his Technical Committee that we are where we are today," he said.

In addition, weightlifting was also well represented at the Sports Writers Association of Ghana Awards, which are voted for by sports journalists.

Mensah was voted as Sports Federation President of the Year, while weightlifter Richmond Osarfo was named as Sports Discovery of the Year.

Amoah was named as male weightlifter of the year with the female prize going to African bronze medallist Ruth Baffoe.