 Jeneba Tarmoh, of Sierra Leone descent but born and raised in San Jose , California in the United State of America by Grace and Victor Tarmoh, has emerged as the world's fastest junior athlete.
Tarmoh, who ran at a time of 11.37 sec for the 100m sailed through the entire International Athletics Association Federation (IAAF) World Junior Track & Field Championships without losing a race.
Last Saturday, the University of Tennessee freshman had five victories in all at the City Stadium. After being undefeated in three races, she struck gold in the 100m dash on Wednesday.
Tarmoh ran the opening leg on the gold-medal-winning United States 4x100-meter relay quartet helping the tandem to its second relay triumph in as many days as she joined forces with teammates Shayla Mahan, Gabrielle Glenn and Tiffany Townsend.
Tarmoh helped the U.S. tandem improve from a 43.76 clocking on Friday to a world-junior- leading 43.66 on Saturday as the Americans claimed their ninth gold medal of the meet.
Bayoh, Michaela confirmed for Olympic Games
 Two local athletes, Solomon Bayoh and Michaela Kargbo will represent the country in this year's Olympic Games in Beijing , China .
This was confirmed by heads of both the Sierra Leone Athletics Association (SLAA) and the National Olympic Committee of Sierra Leone (NOCSLE).
The confirmation has cleared recent rumour that Gibrilla Pato Bangura and Ola Sesay would be representing the country at the Games.
It was said that Ola Sesay, who is of Sierra Leonean decent but based in the United States, decided to choose Salone as her second choice because she was left out of the American team.
According to the Vice President of NOCSLE, Patrick Coker, there are problems which make it impossible for the two to represent the country at the Games.
“Sesay is not having a Sierra Leonean passport while Bangura is not qualified. Secondly, names of any athlete planning to go to the Games should have earlier been in the Games' system.
“We have already written to the government to inform them of who and who will be representing us at the Games and the government has responded,” Coker added.
With the country not having any qualified athlete for the Games, Bayoh and Michaela are going to the Games as the unqualified athletes.
In an interview with Concord Sports, Bayoh said he is ready and determined to compete with big names in the world and spring up surprise.
According to Michaela, “This is an opportunity for me to follow the footsteps of Eunice Barber in the high jump and I want to make use of this chance.”
Michaela will compete in the high jump and the 100 meters while Bayoh will compete in 100 and 200 meters.
FC Johansen opens with Victory
 FC Johansen of Sierra Leone and Africa's only representative in this year's MITNORDEN CUP competition yesterday defeated their Swedish opponents, KOPMANHOLMEN BJESTA or KB 65 1-0 in Sweden.
According to an email message sent in to Concord sport by T.J Cole, who travelled with the team, the only goal of the match came in the early minutes of the second half from incoming midfielder, Kelly Marrah in No. 7 jersey.
Cole said FC Johansen were on top of the match during the first half as they forced their opponents to concede three crucial corners which counts in the run-off play, in case both teams would have ended in a draw.
“The young lads from Sierra Leone wasted several begging chances before Marrah could slot home from close range,” Cole said.
Speaking to the press after the match, Marrah expressed his satisfaction over the victory adding that he strongly believed his team will get better in composure and accuracy and will go all out to win the coveted trophy.
On their take about the match, Abu Kai, a key member of the organizing committee and the team's lawyer Kweku Lisk both voiced their delight at the team's outstanding performance in that they are the only African Side among 300 other Clubsides and Nations mostly drawn from Europe in the amateur football championship.
Commenting on the outcome, FC Johansen Co-Founder, Mr Arne Johanssen expressed complete optimism and confidence in the boys and their coach Jonathan Rhodes to do what is right, stay in the course and clinch the cup at the end of it all.
Cole said the team will play its 2 and 3 qualifying matches today and Saturday respectively.
SLIFA to support female football
Founder of the Sierra Leone International Football Academy (SLIFA), Benjamin Gordon has revealed that his academy is ready to support female football in the country.
Gordon who is presently based in the United State of America said the recent donation of footballs to the U-17 is a start of their work as similar donation will extend to the U-20, Leone Stars and the female football teams.
“We are planning to make more donations not only to the U-17 since our organization thinks that we have a part to play in the development of Sierra Leone football to reach its highest peak,” Gordon said.
“The donation we gave the U-17 is a little one to start with. These donations will be going to U-17 and different sporting disciplines in the country,” he said adding that such donations will continue to different communities in September and December.
Gordon further noted that their next plan is to start their building project adding that they have couple of players in the team who he said will be joining an academy in Norway.
“Some will have a pro-contracts while the U-14 players that are currently playing at the Parade Field will be moving up for further development,” Gordon said. |
