Karate winning team Pays courtesy call on sports ministry
Freetown, June 23 (SLENA) – The Sierra Leone Karate Winning Team has paid a courtesy call on the Ministry of Sports Monday this week at the Ministry of Sports, Bishop House, Skye Street in Freetown. (Photo: Sports minister, Paul Kamara and Deputy Ismail Al Sankoh pose with nation’s Karate team)
The President of the Sierra Leone Karate Association, Victor Amara said it is their tradition to pay respect to the Ministry of Sports which has always supported them in their documentation that enable them participate at international competitions.
Victor Amara Introduced members of the Karate Team who represented Sierra Leone in the just concluded Zone 2 competition held in Mali. They were: Simeon Daemoh who won two Bronze Medals- one for Individual Fight and one for Team Fight plus one certificate of participation.
The other included Joseph Farmer who also won two bronze medals – one for Individual Fight and the other for Team fight plus one certificate of participation; Sulaiman Bah who doubles as Coach for the team and won one Bronze Medal for Team fight plus one certificate of participation.
Couch Bah did few coaching courses in Karate before joining the team to fight to complete the number of fighters needed. The Champion, Abdul Koroma who won Silver Medal in last year’s 2014 Zone 2 tournament won himself three Bronze Medals – one for Cater, one for Individual Fight and one for Team Fight.
According to the President of the Sierra Leone Karate Association, Abdul Koroma was actually the fighter who raised the Sierra Leone Flag in the world of Karate.
The only woman amongst the men was Vcklyn Amara who represented women in the Karate Association. She went for the arbitration, Referee Courses in Karate and attained the Level of Female Commissioner in the Women Karate Federation and Female Commissioner now in the Zone 2 Tournament. “She came out with flying colours,” Victor Amara said.
(L-R) Allen-Technical Director; Joseph Farmer-Medalist; Simeon Daemoh-Medalist; Vicklyn Amara-Female Commissioner in Karate; Abdul Koroma-Champion; Suliaman Bah-Coach; Victor Amara-President, Sierra Leone Karate Association. Dip. Hons.
The Sierra Leone Ministry of Sports was awarded a Certificate of Participation which was a demonstration of commitment of the country’s sports ministry to develop Karate and to show that Sierra Leone took part in the 2015 Zone 2 competition.
The Certificate was handed over to the Minister and Deputy Minister of Sports.
In his explanations to the Minister of Sports the President of the Sierra Leone Karate Association Victor Amara said they had some difficulties on their way to take part in the competition.
‘’We travelled by road and arrived just in time for the competition. Our boys lost Five (5) Kilos each which affected their performances in their various categories of the competition,” said the Karate president.
He appealed to the Minister of Sports to support the Sierra Leone Karate Association with finance so that they could do more and win more Laurels for the country.
In his statement, the Technical Director of the Sierra Leone Karate Association, Mr. Allen said he has been in the field of Karate since 1978 and he is the oldest Karate fighter. He said Karate is not like the other Sports disciplines with huge expenditure. He believes that the Ministry of Sports can afford to support them financially as their Team is very small.
In his response, the Deputy Minister of Sports, Ismail Al Sankoh Conteh said he was very delighted to receive the Karate Team and the Ministry of Sports will do all in its power to financially support them in their next overseas encounter to represent Sierra Leone.
The Minister of Sports, Paul Kamara congratulated the entire Karate Team and expressed delight for the courage and effort that the Athletes made and came out victoriously. He encouraged them to make their Plan of Activities and send them to the National Sports Council so that whatever financial assistant they want would be budgeted and made available to them as early as possible.
The Minister of Sports promised them that he will take up their issues to President Koroma to pay their Per Diem since they had nothing from the ministry and by extension the Government of Sierra Leone before they left for Mali.
In her vote of thanks, the Director of Women in Sports Mrs. Pamela Williams said she hoped that the Sierra Leone Karate Association will continue in their drive to win more laurels for the country and to show respect for one another and the Ministry of Sports. She congratulated the entire Karate Team especially Vicklyn Amara ,the only woman amongst the male dominated Karate Team.
By Benjamin Pratt, Credit SLENA
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