African Sports Monthly International Women's Day Special Edition | Page 21

In the eighties and early nineties before the devastating RUF civil war, names like; Eunice Barber,

Horace Dove Edwin, Modupe Jonah, Felix Sandy, Abdul Mansaray, Ivan Benjamin, Hilton Gooding, Sanusi
Turay, Benjamin Grant, Melrose Mansaray, Haroun Korjie, Denton Guy Williams, Abdulai Kaikai, Thomas
Ganda, Josephus and Joselyn Thomas (the Twins) George Sandy, Aiah Yambasu to name a few in Track

and Field were household names who not only entertained millions of Sierra Leoneans but were able to

hold their own on the international stage as well. Track and Field just like Football (Soccer) was a source
of pride for the nation and since the devastation of the war all of that luster and glow in sports has
virtually disappeared.

As the nation recovers from its most recent challenge; the Ebola pandemic, which not only a

challenged the very existence of the nation but shredded its image and reputation internationally. That
recovery has to involve “Sports” which could be a significant tool in a public relations battle to rebrand
and revive the nation and set it on a path to its deserved greatness.

The country is slowly recovering and what is phenomenally happening with the people themselves is

that for both those who are born within and outside of the country or those who have traced their

ancestry to the nation, they are coming out in droves to lend a hand in rebuilding the country in every
way possible, instead of allowing the negative press on the international stage to affect their psyche

negatively. They are drawn more than ever to connect with their motherland and land of ancestry to

help put it on the map again in a positive light. Out of this phenomenon comes a whole generation of
Diaspora Sierra Leonean youngsters who are mostly collegiate athletes in the US, NCAA system that

have stepped up and have committed to proudly represent the country on the international stage in
Track & Field and other sports disciplines.

What this phenomenon is saying is that despite the imperfect circumstances that pervades in the

sports scene within the country on every level, which have in past years discouraged even the most