By Bockarie Allieu
232News
_____________________________
Sierra Leone’s hope of winning first medal in the All Africa Games was lying on the Men’s Beach Volleyball team which went up to the semi-final stage.
In the semi-final match, the male team lost to South Africa 2-1. Even with the loss to South Africa, the delegation still nurtured hope that they will win the bronze medal unfortunately they lost to Botswana in the 3rd place match in 2 straight sets.
In his address to the athletics delegation, the NOC Prince Sualley told the athletes that their hopes now lies on them as they have not yet participated. Among the remaining disciplines he said they have Athletics, Boxing and Taekwondo but athletics he said have the greater number of athletes. He told them to concentrate on what they were in to Ghana to do reminding them that they were not there for a for jolly ride but to compete and win medals.
He went on that some of the sporting disciplines failed to win medals but improved on their rankings. Prince told the athletes to correct the mistakes the others had made and go for medals.
He assured them that there will be a special package for any athletes that will win medal for the country.
The Chef De Mission of NOC Yayah Koroma told the athletes that they have the same amount of money for them which they gave the other athletes. This he said they should not be concentrating on money now but to concentrate and focus on what they were in Ghana to do. He however reechoed the NOC President that they have a reward for anyone that wins medals for Sierra Leone. In response to their appeal, the Technical Director of Athletics Harold Palmer who led the Athletics delegation to Ghana assured the NOC President that his athletes were in high spirit and they were ready to break the medal draught in the Sierra Leone camp.
The three boxers, one male and two female also assured the government and the NOC executive that they were in Ghana to win medals and nothing less. On Friday the male boxer Wisdom Ansah in the 57kg fight against his opponent from Botswana, Sara Joo 54kg will fight against a Boxer from Nigeria today Monday.
According to their head coach they have been engaged in serious training since they arrived in Ghana and that there was hope to win medals. The president of Taekwondo Oness Johnson also gave the same assurance to NOC about his athletes.
