MX23RW : Monday, August 9 05:30:05| >> :600:202500425:202500425:

Sierra Leone sprinter living rough in London

Sierra Leone sprinter Jimmy Thoronka reveals that he has been living rough in London since the Commonwealth Games to avoid returning to his Ebola-hit homeland.

A top sprinter from Sierra Leone, who vanished during last year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has been living rough in London to avoid returning to his homeland.

Jimmy Thoronka was the country's top 100m runner, but he disappeared at the end of the event in Scotland last August.

The 20-year-old told The Guardian: "I was very excited to be coming to the Games in Glasgow. I saw it as my big chance. I wanted to go to London for a while after the Games but my bag with my money and passport in it was stolen at Glasgow station. I was scared to go to the police in case they arrested me and put me in a cell so I begged someone at the station to pay my fare to London and they agreed to do that.

"Some days I get no food at all. I wash in public toilets and sleep in the park. I wake up around 4am and if I've got a bus pass I get on the night bus and sleep there until morning. I met a man who sometimes lets me sleep at his house but I have to wait outside for him to come home at 10 or 11pm and I get very cold.

"My dream is to become one of the best sprinters in the world but I don't see how that can happen now. Maybe someone will see that I have potential and give me some sponsorship so that I can train here. I can't go back to Sierra Leone because my whole family has been wiped out and I can't make it alone. Nobody is doing athletics there now. Ebola has destroyed so much. But I can't survive here either if I continue living like this. I don't know what I am going to do."

Over 3,500 people have died in Sierra Leone because of the current Ebola crisis.

ID:209589: cacheID:209589:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2509:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Did you know...?
Cyclists Sesay Moses Lansana talks to security at the Athletes Village ahead of the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games on October 1, 2010
Read Next:
Ebola scare at Commonwealth Games
>

rhs 2.0
Olympic medal table header
CountryGold medalSilver MedalBronze MedalT
United StatesUnited States394133113
ChinaChina38321888
JapanJapan27141758
Great BritainGreat Britain22212265
Olympics flagRussian Olympic Committee20282371
Today's Olympic highlights header

Sunday's key events


ATHLETICS
· With the track and field action now finished, the final athletics event of the Games is the men's marathon, which includes three British representatives and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge (11pm)

CYCLING
· Laura Kenny goes for a sixth Olympic gold medal, and a second of the Tokyo Games, in the women's omnium (2am-4.25am)
· Jason Kenny also has another shot at gold on the final day of action, taking part in the men's keirin alongside compatriot Jack Carlin (2.24am-4am)

BASKETBALL
· After the men once again picked up Olympic gold, the USA women will attempt to replicate their success in the gold medal match against hosts Japan (3.30am)

VOLLEYBALL
· USA also have a chance for gold in the women's volleyball final against Brazil (5.30am)

BOXING
· Lauren Price bids to bring a successful Games to a golden close for Britain in the ring as she takes on Li Qian in the women's middleweight final (6.45am)

HANDBALL
· The women's gold medal match sees the Russian Olympic Committee take on France (7am)

WATER POLO
· The final gold medal of the Games is likely to be handed out in water polo, when Greece face Serbia in the men's gold medal match (8.30am)

CLOSING CEREMONY
· A unique and memorable Olympic Games officially comes to a close (12pm)

> Today's schedule in full
-(578:50) NO SAVED VALID SPORT!!!!:51:

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!