Surviving civil war with a tracksuit and tennis racquet
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Inspirations 2020 winner: Sam Jalloh went from barefoot player to pro in the backdrop of Sierra Leone’s brutal civil war. He now coaches kids to achieve their tennis dreams.
Sam Jalloh learned to play tennis barefoot, with a racquet fashioned out of plywood. He'd grown up poor in Freetown and his motivation to play was at first driven by the allure of a fresh tracksuit. But when Sam took to the court his talent quickly got him noticed by local coaches. He was training around the clock, with a career at the national level beckoning. But while he honed his skills, a brutal civil war was tearing Sierra Leone apart. Even when Sam found himself in the crosshairs of the conflict, he never stopped playing. He’s now a successful tennis coach based in the UK and has a sports foundation that supports young athletes.
Emily Webb caught up with Sam to name him one of the winners of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Inspirations 2020. For full details of the awards and Covid-19 related changes, please check the revised terms on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/inspirations.
Producers: Tom Harding-Assinder, Maryam Maruf, Troy Holmes
Editor: Munazza Khan
Picture Sam Jalloh
Credit: Courtesy of Sam Jalloh
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