By Bockarie Allieu
FREETOWN, Oct. 12 (SALONE TIMES) –The Sierra Leone Tennis Association last Friday 8 October presented five youth players, two officials and bid farewell to the NOC Executive at the NOC Headquarters Howe Street in Freetown for a youth tournament in Benin.
Among the five players were three boys and two girls. According to the Tennis president, Kelvin Ezekiel Kellie, Sierra Leone was invited to take part in the U-12 Tennis tournament in Benin.
The above tournament is the ITF/CAT West and Central Africa qualifier for the All Africa Junior Championship that will take place in Tunisia, December 2021.
Presenting the players, Kellie told the NOC executive that the youth players went through series of trial matches and at the end, five players qualified to represent Sierra Leone in the above tournament. He assured the executive that he is sure the young players will represent Sierra Leone well and return home with laurels. Among the 7-man delegation were Momodu Alpha (Technical Director), Amadu Bangura (National Coach), Messeh Conteh (Female player) Aleen Fofanah (female player), Mohamed Kamara (player), Ibrahim Mansaray (player) and Musa Mansaray (player). Addressing the delegation, the NOC President Dr. Patrick Coker told them to be Ambassadors and represent Sierra Leone well in Benin. He thanked and congratulated the players for qualifying to play for Sierra Leone. He went on that they should play in the tournament like competitors and not just like partakers.
Dr. Coker told the players that he believes they have trained enough for the competition. Play hard, he said and return with medals which I will dress you all with back home.
He told the executive that NOC doesn’t have funds to give for tournaments but say they will squeeze from the little they have and give funds for training.
Even at that, he said they have to apply for it and on time and they in return will contact IOC to fund the training.
A representative of the players said they have been winning medals for Sierra Leone in previous competitions and this one will not be an exemption.
