April 9, 2018 By: Sahr Morris Jr. in Gold Coast, Australia
Jalloh in the pool
Sierra Leone swimming teenager sensation, Bunturabie Jalloh on Friday smashed and improved her own Sierra Leone national record in the 50m freestyle at the ongoing 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia clocking 38.27 seconds eclipsing her 39.85 seconds at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.
The Olympia reduced her timing by just 1.58 seconds at the Optus Aquatic Centre despite failing to get passed her Heat 1 which included the eventual Heat winner, Ghanaian Maayaa Ayawere and Charissa Panuve of Tonga.
Ayawere won the Heat with 28.38 while Panuve clocked 30.34 seconds followed by Jalloh with her 38.27 seconds in a rather less impressive display.
However, all three ladies in this Heat failed to secure qualifications timing to the next rounds of the event. In the overall ranking, Jalloh was ranked 40th while Ghanaian Ayawere was in 26th place.
Earlier on Thursday April 5, Jalloh woefully performed in the Women’s 50m Breaststroke Heat 1 as she finished in eighth position with 48.81 seconds behind Heat winner Alia Atkinson with 30.98 seconds, Canadian Faith Knelson 31.19 seconds and Welsh Chloe Tutton with 31.24 seconds. The Sierra Leonean was ranked 24th position out of 24.