March 29, 2021
By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
The Sierra Leone Judo Federation has on Friday 25th March 2021 staged a one day trial at the Siaka Stevens Stadium ahead of Africa Championship and World Championship in Hungary.
The Technical team of the Sierra Leone Judo Federation invited 15 athletes across the country to compete in the trials, as a way to help empower them with the rules and regulations of the Federation. They also held a day Seminar for the athletes and Officials before the finals of the trial.
The President of the Sierra Leone Judo Federation, Idrissa Massaquoi said only the best athletes from the trial will be selected to represent Sierra Leone in the Africa Championship and World Championship in Hungary. After a successful fights from all the Athlete’s only two among the fifteen were able to snatch the final spots for the respective competitions ahead.
The Federation said to the athletes before the trial that only those within the 65 kg or 90 kg will compete with each other in the one day trial.
Christina Bangura who weighs 90 KG won the final spots after four rounds fights, while Alfred Bangura who fights in 60 KG won the final spots after four rounds fights. The two are the Judo players that will represent Sierra Leone in the Africa Championship and World Championship in Hungary.
Whiles talking to A-Z news after a successful fights, the President of the Sierra Leone Judo Federation Idrissa Massaquoi said he is impressed with the way the trials ended because there was fairness and it has a national flavor because athlete’s from the Provinces were part of it and only the best where able to make it to the final spots.
He said the next step now is to take the Judo players to camp and get them well prepared ahead of the task at hand as they only have a month now for the Africa Championship which would take place in May this year.
Dr. Patrick Coker the President of the National Olympic Committee of Sierra Leone said he is impressed with what saw in the trial and will help the Federation to get a better representation. He also urged the athlete’s to brace up for the daunting task ahead of them.
Whiles talking to A-Z news, Christina Bangura whose weights is 90Kg said “I feel happy to have won the final spots though it was not an easy fight, i want to say thanks to God to have guided me through as it is now time to brace up for the task ahead”.
Whiles Alfred Bangura whose fights weighs 65Kg said: “I feel happy to become the Champion in the trial as it was not an easy task for me, but in all this is hard work that helped me” this is not the first time am representing this Country the last time in the Africa games in Morocco i won Gold medal and this time around i want to do more to win another Gold medal for my beloved country, Sierra Leone”.