BY: Yanshin Ibrahim Yansaneh
A thorough Technical Coaching Course for 25 participants was successfully completed by the Sierra Leone Weightlifting Association (SLWA) on Saturday, December 1st, 2025. The course’s goal was to improve the professional competence and skill set of weightlifting coaches across the country.
The week-long Technical Course, which begins Monday, December 1 at the OlympAfrica Center, Goderich in Freetown, is sponsored by Olympic Solidarity through the National Olympic Committee of Sierra Leone (NOC-SLE) and the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). It brings together coaches from different regions for a rigorous series of theoretical and practical sessions that focus on modern coaching techniques, athlete conditioning, injury prevention, and globally recognized safety protocols.
SLWA President Mohamed “Ragga” Bangura spoke at the closing ceremony on Saturday, calling the project a significant step toward developing the technical skills needed to promote the sport in Sierra Leone.
“This training demonstrates our steadfast dedication to improving the nation’s weightlifting standards. We are strengthening the foundation for future champions by providing our coaches with cutting-edge expertise,” the President said.
He urged all of the participants to make sure they get out there and teach the young lifters what they have learned, warning that their certifications might be withdrawn if they don’t.
The NOC-SLE applied to the Olympic Solidarity through the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) to have a very successful course, and he praised Dr. Kyle Pierce, the course specialist, for his support over the years towards the advancement of weightlifting in Sierra Leone.
The course facilitator, Dr. Kyle Pierce, a member of the IWF Coaching and Research Committee, stressed the value of lifelong learning and embracing current coaching techniques, such as contemporary weightlifting coaching methodologies; developing technical and tactical skills; preventing injuries and ensuring athlete safety; adhering to strength and conditioning principles; preparing for competitions; and utilizing international best practices.
The methods and abilities taught in this course are crucial for producing athletes capable of competing on a regional, continental, and international scale. The participants were quite eager to put what they had learnt into practice, he remarked.
One of the participants, Sallu Bakar Kamara, Technical Director of SLWA, conveyed her sincere appreciation for the chance, emphasizing the course’s applicability and its revolutionary influence on her teaching skills.
Numerous coaches reported feeling more equipped to help athletes, encourage discipline, and support the expansion of their local clubs as a result of the training.
The Sierra Leone Weightlifting Association declared its intention to provide more training programs in the upcoming months and reaffirmed its dedication to continuous capacity-building initiatives. The Association is continuing to fortify the sport’s foundation and motivate the upcoming generation of weightlifters throughout Sierra Leone with the successful completion of this Technical Coaching Course.
