Baba Ibrahim Suma-Keita was a Sierra Leonean long-distance runner who specialised in the marathon. Suma-Keita won silver in the race at the 1977 West African Athletics Championships in Lagos, Nigeria to earn himself a place at 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada. Two years later he was part of a small delegation of athletes from the country to compete at the 1980 Moskva Olympics. Although he finished down in 46th place, Suma-Keita ran a personal best time of 2-41:20 that stood as a Sierra Leonean record until 2014. Eight years later he returned to the Olympics where he also had the honour of being the nation’s flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony at the Seoul Games. Following his retirement Suma-Keita worked as an athletics coach and mentor to up-and-coming track and field competitors in Sierra Leone.
Personal Best: Mar – 2-41:20 (1980).
Sierra Leone