Lamin Tucker, former national athlete based in Australia, has boosted his club of origin, Success Athletics Club, with 13 pairs of Nike tracksuits, 13 pairs of Puma foot wears (trainers), one million five hundred thousand Leones (Le 1.5m) and one Android mobile phone for administrative purposes.
According to Tucker, who was the country’s one time home based best athlete, the donated items were on the way coming to Freetown. This is not the first time he was assisting and donating to athletics in the country. He underscored when he was based in Sierra Leone and how he captained the country for the all African Games in Abuja, Nigeria, where he assisted the entire delegation from Sierra Leone.
“We miss our flight for Abuja after we landed in Lagos. Dauda and Co were the first batch to go to Abuja, so we were late for the trip. We were asked to sleep at the Airport and it’s a transit point for travelers from different countries. I thought it was very shameful for the country and I decided to loan the Government some cash and we paid for every member of the delegation to lodge in a guesthouse for that night. This made us not to sleep at the Airport, wearing the Green, White and Blue attire. I believed then it will be shameful for this country. Later the then Minister of Sports, Dr Dennis Bright, refunded the money to me,” he said.
He added: “Every year that I visit Sierra Leone I usually donate equipment. Sometimes ago, I gave two hand radio communications to Sparky to be used in events. I also gave Martin Bangura tracksuits for the officials. I also presented brand new foot wears and spikes to the President of the Association for the athletes and also, sometimes back, I donated Android phones to each of the qualifiers for the 100 meters. In that same year, I donated spikes again, I even issued out scholarships to my fellow athletes.”
“I’ve captained my country for several games including the Olympic Games, All African Games and Commonwealth Games. I’ve won medals and I am the first athlete ever to ensure Milton Margai College defeated Fourah Bay College in the history of the country’s athletics during the Inter-Varsity Athletics Meet. Since the days of Tipex and Sanusi Turay no one has ever come from home to run 10 seconds in any international competition. I am the only athlete ever to come from home to run under 10 seconds, which I did in an Olympic Games. And also I was one of the best athletes at the Inter-Secondary School Athletics Sport Meet during our days. I won so many titles during my days,” Tucker stated.
He concluded by stating that, during their time as athletes, they did not get support, but he believes it was time to give back to his country.
“I am always happy to give back to this country and I am doing it because of the love of my country. I have no intention to head or hold any position in the Sierra Leone Athletics Association (SLAA). I am just doing this because I think it is my duty and responsibility to give back to my country,” the former athlete stressed.