Sierra Leone Olympic athletes train in Sussex ahead of the Games
Sierra Leone Olympic athletes are training in Sussex, UK ahead of the London Games thanks to a Former MP Michael Foster. This training was organized by Hastings Sierra Leone Friendship Link and a number of the town’s businesses and organisations have stepped in to offer the team the facilities they need to complete their acclimatisation and training. (Photo: Sierra Leone athlete Ibrahim Turay)
This is the first time Sierra Leone athletes have got such an opportunity to make sure that they do well because dedication and training is required by all Olympic athletes.
The two-strong team, of Ibrahim Turay who will be participating in the 200 meters, and long jumper Ola Sesay who had to overcome the additional hurdle of poverty to qualify for the games with a B standard of 6.71 meters against the odds as the government could not afford to send the Sierra Leone team to the African Games, their main qualification event.
It was Ibrahim Turay who first arrived on Thursday July 12th 2012 and a day later Ola Sesay arrived from America to join him where they are staying at the White Rock Hotel and training at William Parker Sports College. Presently they are undergoing serious training under coach Abu White three times day.
Ola Sesay during and after training
According to former MP of Hastings, Michael Foster, they will be seen around the town in their Olympic Uniforms during their stay and will appear on stage in the evening as part of the Olympic torch relay celebrations on Tuesday, July 17 before travelling on to the Olympic Village in London.
The offer to host the team was made by Michael Foster on behalf of the Hastings Sierra Leone Friendship Link. He revealed that as well as helping the Olympic team it will be great for the young people of Hastings to be captured by the spirit of the Olympics by seeing world class athletes living and training in the city. It’s a real coup for the town, he said.
By Bernard Turay in Hasting in UK
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