Sierra Leone looks set to lose another athlete, a decade after Eunice Barber switched her nationality to compete for France in the World championships.
The Holland-based athlete, Solomon Baryoh told Politico he made up his mind to take up Dutch citizenship and compete for his new country in future after he was left out of the 2012 Olympic Games in London by the National Olympic Committee of Sierra Leone.
He said he disappointed when saw The Gambian athlete, Suwaibou Sanneh competing in the semis of 100 meters. “I could have done better in the 200m. I recall beating Suwaibou in both the 100 and 200 meters in the 2006 Cadet competition hosted in Sierra Leone and I’m gradually improving every day”.
Baryoh competed in the 200 meters event at the 2008 Summer Olympics Games in Beijing, China and placed eighth in his first round heat with a time of 22.16 seconds, which was not enough for him to advance to the second round.
Asked whether he would reconsider his decision, he replied, “It is said and done. I think favoritism should not be part of selecting the best athlete in a competition like this. It is really hard to say but I have already made up my mind,” he said.
