The Leader of delegation who accompanied the Sierra Leone Athletes to the Commonwealth Youth games in Pune, India, Pamela Williams has intimated that Michaela Kargbo one of the athletes representing Sierra Leone in the competition did very well during the games.
She said among the five athletes that went to the games it was Michaela Kargbo who was able to reach the final in the Long Jump. She took the 9th position out of over twenty (20) athletes.
She disclosed that out of the 71 countries participating in the games, Sierra Leone was rated around 40th.
She mentioned that in 2010 if these same athletes are able to qualify for the same tournament, only one of them would be over 18 years by then; and if they are able to improve on their time 2010 would be a different situation.
For this reason they have started working on the younger athletes, especially school going children who would be around 18 years old in 2010.
.The leader of the delegation also disclosed that with time Sierra Leone would start to gain a lot from such competitions; but we need to be focused, she said.
She stressed that the necessary equipments for the athletes should be provided as this would help them to perform better. She also advised that preparations be made to take athletes outside Sierra Leone for training, citing that the only Gambian to win a medal for his country was in a training camp outside the Gambia.
She revealed that the whole tournament was thrilling and very educative and as such we need to participate in other inter-continental competitions like Zone two and the Mano River Union Competition.
She maintained that sporting disciplines should start from schools if Sierra Leone is to excel in international competitions.
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