Sierra leone

Sierra Leone boasts a storied sporting heritage marked by remarkable achievements and celebrated figures.

Football reigns supreme as the nation’s most beloved sport, with the Leone Stars, Sierra Leone’s national team, earning significant accolades. In 1996, they clinched the African Nations Cup, and in 2004, they made a memorable run to the quarter-finals of the African Cup of Nations. The nation proudly heralds Mohamed Kallon, revered as one of Sierra Leone’s football legends.

He secured the distinction of being the first Sierra Leonean to compete in Italy’s Serie A and represented his country at the 2002 World Cup. Sierra Leone further honors sports luminaries such as Isha Johansen, who serves as the first female president of the Sierra Leone Football Association. Additionally, sprinter Abu Bakarr Kargbo etched his name in history with a bronze medal in the 200m at the 2004 African Championships.

Beyond football, Sierra Leone has tasted triumph in various sports, notably securing a gold medal in the men’s 4x400m relay at the 2012 African Championships and the Leone Stars’ victory in the 2014 African Basketball Championship. These accomplishments underscore Sierra Leone’s enduring passion for sports and the achievements of its athletic heroes.