Graduating from Banjul's Albion Primary School after a prolific track career for Banjul area, Awa Jeng instantaneously ascended to stardom making the basketball team in Form One and an immediate starter for that matter. She was the ferocious point guard for the team and to this day, their rivals from College St. Michel of Dakar are still raving at her talent level. She was also a track and field star running in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 4x100 relay, high jump and long jump and in all these events, she was always a gold medalist. Never heard off in Gambian schools sports history.
In the national basketball association, she was the point guard for my dear Saints Basketball Club and the kid from Perseverance led us to many championships while shutting down the best there was. She had great ball handling skills and was fast. To cap it off, no one female basketball player could jump like her. She led Saints to the only Gambian victory of the short lived Senegambian Confederations Cup when Saints destroyed Functionaire Basketball Club of Dakar in Banjul in 1984.
Peecha Mi, as I fondly referred to her for reasons only known to me and her, was unstoppable in all the disiciplines she comepeted. Along the way she squashed national records in the High Jump and Long Jump and the first Gambian girl to medal in both the long Jump and High Jump in the first Junior Zone Two track and field championship held in The Gambia in 1985. Back in the 80's there was no female soccer in The Gambia, but one known female soccer player and star was Awa Jeng.
To this day, all her records remain in tact at St. Joseph's High School. She is also the only Gambian to win an MVP award in the history of the Senegambia Confederation. She has done in the female category what Gambia's greatest all round athlete Bai Malleh Wadda has done. Fr. Gough nicknamed her the wizard, indeed she was. Thanks for the memories Pecha Mi. You will always remain the greatest female athlete in my book. I was honored to be your "Officer."
