Ibrahim Jalloh and Mabinty Kanu won in the 10 – 13 years male and female category, defeating their opponent 3-1 and 3-0 respectively. In the 14 – 16 years’ male and female category, Mohamed Kamara and Binty Kargbo won by 3-2 and 3-0 respectively. Bedford Sawyer and Zainab Sesay were crowned champions in the adult male and female category, winning 3-1 and 3-2 respectively.
Table Tennis is one of the most popular sports in the People’s Republic of China and the fans are composed of people of all ages and from all walks of life. In China, people establish friendship through the Ping-Pong, as it is called in China.
“In Sierra Leone, these years I have seen a growing number of people engaging in Ping-Pong and the Sierra Leone Table Tennis Association has been making great efforts in training young players and promoting this sport, ” said Councilor Wang Xinmin, Deputy Head of Mission at the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone.
Every year, the Chinese Embassy donates sports facilities to various schools, associations and clubs around Sierra Leone and at the same time offers training courses like Beach Volleyball to Sierra Leone players.
Emmanuel Lebbie, Secretary General of Sierra Leone Table Tennis Association, said with the support from the Chinese table tennis is being taken to another level in West Africa. He called on other embassies to emulate the good example of the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone, which has contributed immensely to promoting sports in his country.
President of the National Olympic Committee, Dr. Patrick Coker thanked the Chinese for their laudable contribution to sports development in Sierra Leone.