BY BOCKARIE ALIEU
232NEWS, FREETOWN
The 97th edition of the Traditional Boxing Day Sports sponsored by the Africell Mobile Company was launched this past Friday 24th November at the Africell Mobile company headquarters at Wilberforce.
Boxing Day Sports activities normally take place in three days 23rd, 24th, and 26th December every year. The heat of the track events with some of the field events takes place on the 23rd and the 24th December every year and the final on the 25th December.
In his statement at the launching ceremony, the president of the Sierra Leone Athletics Association Martin Bangura said they are glad to welcome everyone yet to another Traditional Boxing Day Sports launching.
He went on that he was happy to see Africell partnering with them again as the prime sponsors of the Boxing Day activity like they did last year.
Martin further said that there are two things that make this year’s activity different. One, he said they have just takem one year in office notwithstanding he said transformation is taking place gradually and secondly, he said they have three years to the centenary of the Traditional Boxing Day Sports which will be in 2026.
In this case, he said they are now preparing ahead of the 100 years celebration in 2026. Martin said last year’s message for the event was ‘No One Behind’ which he said was a success as after the election they were living as divided family but the message help to bring them together.
A peace, he said they are enjoying onto the time he is talking today. This year, he said the message is ‘More Participation through Safeguarding’. Safeguard, he said is for all of them in athletics and particularly a way to secure all their athletes both home and abroad.
He concluded by appealing to all institutions in Sierra Leone including the Ministry of Sports, National Sports Authority, the National Olympic Committee and many more both citizens and non-citizens to collaborate with athletics to develop the sports.
Talking on behalf of the sponsors Africell Head of Media, Abdul Aziz Kamara, first welcome everyone at the Africell headquarters for the very important occasion.
Boxing Day Sports, he said is the day family members use to spend time after the Christmas celebration.
He went on that Africell is pleased to work in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Athletics Association to make this year’s Boxing Day Sports a success in Bo at the Bo Stadium.
Aziz went on that they hope that everyone is feeling well as their doors are always open to everyone to each and every visitor.
The president of NOCSLE Prince Vandy Sualley thanked Africell for their relentless effort to help develop sports in Sierra Leone.
He commended the newly elected president of Athletics Martin Bangura and his executive for the trajectory they are using to encourage more partners to develop athletics in the short time they have taken over.
As the president of NOCSLE, he said his first priority is to see all Olympic Sports developing, thanking Africell for their help to the various sports in Sierra Leone.
He commended Athletics for this year’s theme on Safeguarding which he said the members of ANOCA discuss on it during the recent ANOCA meeting in Cape Verde.
The Director of Sports Haroun Korjie an Olympian said it was not a coincident to be part of the occasion as he is also a retired Athletics athlete.
He brought a message from the Sports Minister who was unavoidably absent. He said the key thing the government is looking for is development in all sports and with such activity athletics will be in the good book of the Sports Ministry.
The Technical Director of Athletics Harold Palmer outlined the Boxing Day Sports program which he said the heats will take place on the 23rd and the 24th December 2023 and the final on the 26th December 2023 in Bo.
He went on that two foreign athletes from Germany and Australia will be taking part in this year’s events. Among the two are Johnson from Germany and Konomani from Australia and he reaffirmed that even at the completion of the national stadium in Freetown they will still have time to take the sport to the provinces.
This, he said they have several other athletes who were scouted from the provinces who are doing well today.
Harold confirmed that the Boxing Day Sports this year will serve as a qualifier for the All Africa Games in Ghana,.
Beside the Boxing Day Sports, he said the Africell Marathon will also serve as a time trial for the All Africa Games.
Apart from qualifying, the winners will go home with cash prizes among the prizes the first position will take Le500 (new notes) second position will receive Le 400 (new notes) and the 3rd position will take home Le 300 (new notes).
Beside the above prizes, he said there will be consolation prizes on the final day from 4th -8th positions.
In events, there will be 15 events for the female and 16 for the male athletes. There will also be a mixed relay which will involve two male and two female athletes.
