Sa.Leone Aquatic Unveils Vision for Stronger Future

Sierra Leone Aquatics has held an inclusive Technical Committee Meeting bringing together coaches, athletes, officials, club representatives, Executive Committee members and media personnel to discuss the federation’s technical direction and future development.

The meeting, held on Saturday, 22nd August 2026, and hosted by Aqua Sport Club, marked an important engagement following the appointment of Gibrilla Kanu Bamba as Technical Director and Head Coach.

The session provided an opportunity for stakeholders from swimming, open water swimming and water polo to collectively review the federation’s technical programmes, identify areas requiring improvement and discuss a long-term roadmap aimed at strengthening aquatic sports in Sierra Leone.

Speaking on behalf of the Executive Committee, Reginald Brian O. Sawyerr, Acting Assistant Secretary General of Sierra Leone Aquatics, described the meeting as more than a routine gathering, saying it was an opportunity for the federation to “unify, reflect, plan and build.”

He emphasised the need for greater unity and collaboration among coaches, athletes, clubs and officials, noting that Sierra Leone Aquatics possesses significant potential through its talented athletes, committed coaches and dedicated clubs.

Sawyerr stressed that talent alone would not be enough to achieve international success, highlighting the importance of structure, discipline, teamwork, technical development and a clear long-term vision.

He also called for an honest review of the federation’s yearly activities, including athlete competition opportunities, coach development, club engagement, youth talent identification and preparedness for regional, continental and international competitions.

A major focus of the meeting was the proposed Technical Roadmap, which is intended to provide a structured pathway for athlete development from grassroots and club level through to national and international competition.

The roadmap is expected to focus on coach education and certification, talent identification, regular competitions, training camps, technical clinics, performance monitoring, youth development, international exposure, sports science, athlete welfare and preparation for major competitions.

The Acting Assistant Secretary General also encouraged coaches to embrace continuous learning and modern coaching methods while urging athletes to combine talent with discipline, consistency, commitment and sacrifice.

He further reaffirmed the Secretariat’s responsibility to create an enabling environment for technical development through improved communication, coordination and support for clubs, coaches and athletes.

Meanwhile, Technical Director and Head Coach Gibrilla Kanu Bamba presented the federation’s technical vision and roadmap, receiving strong appreciation from participants for the direction and level of work being undertaken by the Technical Department.

The engagement generated encouraging feedback from participants, with many expressing renewed hope and readiness for a more coordinated, inclusive and progressive approach to the development of aquatics in Sierra Leone.

A key issue of interest remains access to the National Stadium Swimming Complex, which stakeholders view as critical to the full implementation of the federation’s technical plans and the creation of a consistent high-performance training environment.

The meeting was brought to a close by Ruth Alma Turay, Coach and member of the Technical Committee, who provided a summary of the discussions and highlighted the key areas emerging from the engagement before formally adjourning the meeting.

The successful gathering has strengthened the sense of collective responsibility within Sierra Leone Aquatics, with stakeholders expressing a shared desire to see the federation rise to greater heights and compete more effectively on the regional, continental and international stages.

The federation expressed appreciation to all participants for their contributions and to Aqua Sport Club for hosting the meeting.

As Sierra Leone Aquatics moves towards implementing its ‘Technical Roadmap’, the message from Saturday’s meeting was clear: sustainable progress will require unity, professionalism, accountability, discipline, inclusivity and a shared commitment to developing the next generation of aquatic athletes.