OLYMPIAN DRAMMEH CAPTURES SANU JALLOW’S RECORD BREAKING PERFORMANCE IN NCAA

A former top Gambian athlete Lamin EN Drammeh has paid glowing tribute to Gambian athlete Sanu Jallow on her extraordinary, historic performance at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA

Drammeh, towering former scholar athlete himself, now a goodwill ambassador for Gambian Athletics  Association GAA, described Sanu Jallow’s “jaw-dropping, national record-breaking time of 1:56.85 as not  merely a statistics, but also a monumental signpost for others to chase, a master class in elite athletic execution, and the definitive baseline for our collective journey toward the LA 2028 Olympic Games.”

Drammenh went on: ”By capturing this gold medal on June 13, 2026, at Hayward Field, Sanu has done what no Gambian ever has achieved. Her marks from that historic weekend have officially rewritten the track and field hierarchy, making her the #1 fastest woman in NCAA history as she completely shattered the previous all-time collegiate record.

Furthermore, this blistering, record-breaking time vaults her to the absolute pinnacle as the #1 ranked 800m runner in Africa and firmly places her among the top 3 fastest women in the entire world for the 2026 season. She did not just run a race; she carried the hopes of 2.5 million Gambians and ignited a flame of inspiration for 1 billion people across the African continent.

Her majestic performance is also the perfect gift that rising stars Maimuna Jallow and Kebba Makalo could ever receive as they begin their own collegiate athletic careers at Louisiana University. By standing on that podium, she has laid a fresh foundation for them to build upon. In doing so, she pays ultimate homage to the legendary Gambian All-Americans and Hall of Famers who blazed the trail long before this amazing record was broken—icons like Dawda Jallow,Momodou Lamin “Soap” Drammeh, and Lamin E.N. Drammeh  (myself ), and there might be others, who all poured out their sweat and determination on the global stage to prove what Gambians are truly capable of achieving.

Before the championships, Sanu stated: “I want to make The Gambia proud”. She did exactly that, proving to the entire world that small countries do punch far above their weight. In a moment of pure joy and pride during her post-race interview, Sanu celebrated the Gambia by exclaiming”Jaramajef!” and adding, “Thank you, Team Gambia.” Through her, our beautiful red, white, blue, white, and green flag flew at the highest level yet. She put The Gambia directly into American living rooms and onto global television screens, showing the world the true spirit of the Smiling Coast of Africa.

Her journey from the red dirt of The Gambia to the NCAA podium is a testament to the locomotive power of resilience, discipline, and courage. This triumph was forged in the fires of the true scholar-athlete ethos. She navigated the grueling demands of academic excellence, completed assignments, and passed exams while simultaneously enduring the physical tolls of elite training.

She overcame injuries, pushed through agonising lactic acid, conquered adverse weather conditions, and transformed pain into pure gold.

Because of her sacrifice, the landscape of Gambian sport is permanently altered. She has provided renewed hope for Gambian athletics and created an inspirational blueprint for generations of dreamers. Because of her, little girls from her own town of Latrikunda, Bwiam, Sinchu Sanjal, Bansang, and every corner of the Gambia now know that their dreams are valid. They are inspired not just to be like Sanu, but to become even greater.

As we celebrate this milestone on the global stage, her victory brings forth an undeniable truth and an urgent baseline for our nation’s leadership. I use this global platform to make a passionate, solemn call to the Government of the Republic of The Gambia, the Gambia National Olympic Committee, the Gambia Athletics Association, the National Sports Council, and local sports development organisations as competent authorities and institutions: we must urgently invest in

sports and fully harness its potential as our country’s most powerful ambassadorial tool.

No traditional diplomatic mission, political speech, or international summit can market our nation or put the Gambia into the hearts of millions of global citizens as instantly and profoundly as our athletes do on the track. Sport is the ultimate soft power. It is a vehicle for national unity, youth empowerment, and unprecedented global visibility and personal success. For The Gambia, the message delivered is unmistakable: the government and stakeholders must proactively create the infrastructure, funding, and training conditions necessary to produce as many Sanu Jallows as possible. This is the only true yardstick to measure our future athletic success and global impact.

But for now, the world stops to celebrate the remarkable, barrier-breaking feat just landed for the Gambia, the Global South, and the Global North. We look to her future knowing that the sky is just the floor and not the ceiling.

From the bottom of our hearts, we say: Eningbara. Jerejef. Jaramajef. Thank you, Sanu.’’