Gambia’s 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relay teams who took part in the Grand Prix Athletics championship in Warri Delta State, Nigeria on 13th June 2014 has set a new national records with a timing of 39.94 second and 3.10.44 finishing 3rd in the competition in the process.
The relay team comprising of Adama Jammeh, Abdoulie Assim, Assan Faye and Alieu Joof broke the previous record set during the African senior championship in Porto Nova Benin in 2012 by relay team Adama Jammeh, Omar Jammeh, Tijan Keita and Alagie Sonko.
The previous record of 3.13.2 seconds set by Ebrima Ceesay, Momodou Kujabi, Bakary Jabbi and Ismaila Manga during the African games in Algeria in 2007 was broken by Adama Jammeh, Omar Jammeh, Tijan Keita and Alagie Sonko with a new national record of 3.10.44.
Modou Njie, team coach in his report on the championship described the Warri Relay as important and will ‘no doubt’ put in evidences the best athletes who have gone far in their view to pursue their improvement in performances which The Gambia is no exception.
Coach Njie described Gambia’s achievement in the 4x100m relay as yet another milestone, saying their recent success is due to the commitment, support and understanding of the President Dodou ‘Capi’ Joof who worked tirelessly to see Gambian athletes and coaches’ dream come true.
Mr Njie also expressed appreciation to the President of the Nigerian Athletics Federation for providing them with air tickets to and from the championship in Warri as well as providing them with accommodation and feeding which was ‘one out of none’.
He went on to also thank the Gambia Athletics Association President giving athletes and coaches an allowance totaling to D24,000 and an additional D1,000 as transport fare for their stay in Nigeria.
On behalf of himself and the athletes, he expressed their sincere appreciation to the GAA president as well as prayed for him for long life and Allah’s abundant reward.
The Gambia delegation, which left Banjul for Nigeria on Wednesday 11 June 2014, returned home on Sunday 15 June 2014.
