The IOC Olympic Solidarity Scholarship has been a cornerstone in the development of Gambian athletes.
Recently, 7 Gambian athletes benefited from the scholarship. In their quest for Olympic qualification, they trained in France as part of preparations before the PARIS 2024 Olympic Games as part of the scholarship.
The beneficiaries are: Gambia’s most successful athlete Gina Mariam Bass Bittaye, top male sprinters Ebrima Camara, Adama Jammeh, Alieu Joof and Sengan Jobe as well as judokas Faye Njie and Abdou Rahman Ceesay.
For Judoka Abdourahman Ceesay, even though he didn’t qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics, the scholarship availed him an immense opportunity to develop himself while he transformed Judo back in the Gambia.
For someone who is determined to make his Olympic debut, the scholarship to France provided Ceesay an unparalleled opportunity to train with some of the best judo practitioners in the world.
“In Judo, success depends not only on physical strength, endurance, and skill but also on mental sharpness. The ability to focus under pressure, maintain concentration through long training sessions, and make split-second decisions can be the difference between winning and losing. This was essentially developed during his training in France,” he said.
Competing in France, across Europe and Africa exposed Ceesay to a level of competition that is more intense and highly competitive than what he had previously experienced.
The experience brought him an opportunity to test his skills against top judokas from around the world, thus preparing him better to represent The Gambia in future competitions.
The 32-year old’s scholarship tenure in France elapsed in August 2024, but while he kept fingers crossed for another scholarship opportunity, his determination and dedication earned him another one year scholarship with Judo Club Coulommiers under the French Judo Federation, extending his stay in France.
At Coulommiers, Ceesay serves as a Judo Instructor, a task he is carrying out alongside his studies at the French Institute of Judo.
Ceesay’s exposure in France and other international competitions have had ripple effects in developing Judo in the Gambia. For instance, through his scholarship fund and travel allowances, he was able to acquire several judo equipment to support the transformation of judo in the Gambia; these include 50 Judo Gis (uniforms),10 Judo belts for adults, 11 rolls of 50m Judo belts for Kids,300 mini medals for babies, 4 mini metal cups, 4 mini plastic cups,600 pieces of 50mm metal medals , 300 pieces of 70mm metal medals,2 national passports, 1 international Judo license for home-based athletes and Judo club rental fees for two years.
These resources have been used to organize local judo tournaments, workshops, and boot camps, providing essential opportunities for athletes to train, compete, and showcase their talents.
GNOC
