Speaking
during the presentation Chairman Samir Hassanyeh stated: “This is
not the first time we have come on board to support Windham. We have
sent him to Egypt, Jordan and now we are sponsoring him to compete in
the Lignano Masters in Italy. Am sure as he has done us proud in the
past, he will continue to do us proud.
“With
the outstanding performance he has been putting up in previous
competition I hope he will return with laurels for not only himself
and the Table Tennis Paralympics division but Sierra Leone and Africa
as a whole because he will be representing Africa in this
competition. And on behalf of Mercury International it gives me great
pleasure to give you a cheque of Le 12 Million and an air ticket cost
$2400,”Samir Hassanyeh added.
Receiving
the Cheque and air ticket George Windham thanked Mercury for the
continuous support they have been giving to him and assured them that
he will do his best to make them proud. He said though he missed out
in the China World Championship and U.S Open in 2014 due to the Ebola
menace in the country, he will do his best during the competition.
“I have been preparing for this competition for
the past 5 months. I was invited to this competition because I’m
currently ranked 3rd
in Africa and the competition is only for top 5 players in each
continent. I am part of the top 5 in Africa due to my performance in
previous competition I represented Sierra Leone.
“I will play my first match on the 18th
and return on the 24th
of Match 2015. This is my very first time to compete in Italy; it
will be somehow tough for me but am hoping to have a great
competition. It is a grand master and most of those I will be
competing with are world class players,” George said.
Windham
who is presently ranked 3rd in Africa is expected to leave the shores
of Sierra Leone today Friday 13th March 2015 for Ivory Coast to
receive his visa and he will departs for Italy on the 17th.
Bernard Tury
