African Sports Monthly International Women's Day Special Edition | Page 22

patriotic of athletes to seek their fortunes elsewhere, these young men and women have decided to use their exposure to advanced training techniques and facilities in the countries they were born and live in to help lift the country of their ancestry’s image up, and help to rebrand it to the world. Following in the footsteps of Ola Abbott (nee Sesay) the flag bearer for Sierra Leone at the 2012 London Olympics, a Sierra Leonean-American who grew up exposed to advanced sports facilities, and training from the elementary school system to the advanced NCAA Collegiate sports structure These new crop of young men and women see a calling that goes far beyond sports. Born to parents of Sierra Leonean ancestry these young men and women are as accomplished educationally as they are athletically: Without further ado meet this dynamic group of men and women who have committed to lift Sierra Leone Athletics to a new realm: Hafsatu Kamara: Nickname: Hafsa: A Graduate of University of California at Northridge, she recently represented Sierra Leone at the IAAF World Outdoor Champions in Beijing, China. She holds the current National Record in the 100 meters for women at 11.78 sec. She currently resides and trains out of Arizona Events: 60 meters 100meters, 200 meters Personal Bests: 7.55 sec/ 11.61 sec/23.83sec