By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
Sierra Leone Athletics Association (SLAA) in collaboration with the National Olympic Committee of Sierra Leone (NOC-SLE) 27th, October 2025, officially unveiled the Northwest Athletics Association and launched the Youth Athlete Development Programme, at the Port Loko mini stadium.
The event which attracted chairpersons, coaches of all the various regions, athletes and executive members of the SLAA, will span from October to February, with the aim of preparing a very youthful team for Sierra Leone ahead of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
Speaking, SLAA’s President Martin Momoh Bangura who chaired the event on behalf of the Executive Board and the entire athletics family of Sierra Leone congratulated the people and stakeholders of the Northwest Region on the historic occasion—the unveiling of the Northwest Athletics Association and the launch of the Youth Athlete Development Programme –Identification and Training Project.
“Today marks another significant step in our collective journey to decentralize and strengthen athletics across Sierra Leone. The establishment of the Northwest Athletics Association reflects our shared vision of inclusiveness, growth, and empowerment through sports. It symbolizes the commitment of our regional stakeholders to nurture young talents and provide opportunities for them to shine both nationally and internationally,” he said.
Banugura noted that the Youth Athlete Program is a programme awarded to the Sierra Leone Athletics Association by the NOC, with funding from the Olympic Solidarity through the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“As we unveil this new chapter in the Northwest, I encourage every athlete, coach, administrator, and community leader to embrace this project with passion, discipline, and dedication. Together, we can transform raw potential into excellence and position Sierra Leone as a rising force in African athletics.”
“The program will commence across the country, including all the regions for which at the end of the project we are expecting to train over 60 athletes, aged 12 to 18 years old, both male and female.”
“The training consists of two phases, the first phase is for identification which will continue up to December and the second phase starts in January and end in February, which will be the period of camping those that will be identified to make sure they are well trained for the grand championship in February.”
“We didn’t have a category of athletes that we can refer to as youth. At a certain period the young and old were competing against each other, but this programme is giving us the opportunity to tap them and keep records. It will serve as a window which all their athletes will go through before they become national or elite athletes because the only way we can capture them and get the right talents to represent Sierra Leone is when we give their correct age and right training.”
To the athletes, he said it’s another opportunity for them, appealing that they take this programme very seriously, put their focus on the training, as it has a lot of benefits so let them grab it and make good use of it.
“We want to express our thanks and appreciation to the NOC for considering the SLAA at this particular time which is a very crucial time for the sport more so when we have the youth Olympic Games coming and the LA Games in 2028. We want to appreciate them for giving us this support to build our athletes for these upcoming Games,” he concludes.
Officially launching the Youth Athlete Development Programme on behalf of the President, Prince Sualley and his executive, NOC’s Project Manager Bai Bangura Bai said the programme is geared towards the training of the future generations going into the Youth Olympic Games 2026 in Dakar.
“Sierra Leone should have a formidable team. This programme is looking towards having the best athletes to represent the country adequately as they Dakar Games. We at the NOC are playing the supervisory role to make sure that they did exactly what the project entails,” he stressed.
Statements were also made by Chairmen of the various regions including Bai Sheka Wurie (North West), Alhassan Kamara (North East), Rev. Lona A. Yovonie (South), Tamba Tommy (East) and Mohamed (West).
Training equipment were handed to Presidents and Head Coaches from the various regions so that they will return to their various regions to implement the programme.