Beyond the Starting Line: How Support Helped Momodou Lamin Jabbi Run Faster

A $300 grant gave Gambian sprinter Momodou access to a proper track in Senegal, and personal bests followed.

Talent needs room to grow. Sometimes, that room begins with access to a proper training track.

For sprinters, the training environment matters. The surface beneath their feet, the consistency of their training, and the opportunity to prepare properly can all influence their development.

For Momodou Lamin Jabbi, a sprinter from The Gambia, access to a suitable track was a significant challenge.

He had the determination to train and the ambition to improve, but the facilities available to him at home limited the conditions in which he could prepare.

Through the Athlete Impact Fund, Paragon Sports Development Foundation provided a $300 grant that helped him spend more time in Senegal, where he could access a track and train more effectively.

That support helped create the conditions for a breakthrough.

Training Around the Barriers

Before receiving support, Momodou trained primarily in The Gambia.

When he could, he travelled to Senegal to compete. But training consistently as a sprinter without access to a proper track was difficult.

The challenge was not simply about wanting to train harder. It was about having an environment that allowed him to prepare in a way that supported his development.

For young athletes working with limited resources, these barriers can quietly restrict progress long before their talent has a chance to be fully tested.

Momodou needed access to better training conditions. He needed an opportunity to spend more time preparing in an environment suited to his event.

A Grant That Created Room to Develop

The Athlete Impact Fund provided Momodou with $300 to support his athletic development.

With this assistance, he was able to stay in Senegal for a longer period and access a track for proper training.

The support addressed a specific barrier in his journey: the difficulty of finding suitable facilities in which to prepare as a sprinter.

It was a practical intervention with a clear purpose—helping him access the training environment he needed.

Personal Bests and New Possibilities

Following this support, Momodou achieved personal bests in both the 100m and 200m during the year.

For an athlete, personal bests are more than numbers. They are evidence of progress, a reason to keep working, and a way to measure the results of consistent preparation.

His improvements also began to attract attention beyond his immediate training environment.

Momodou reported that his progress helped others believe in his potential. He subsequently received support from a small sponsor who assists him with supplements, and a GoFundMe campaign was created to support his journey.

The grant did not solve every challenge he faced. But it helped him access better training conditions, make progress, and build momentum toward further opportunities.

When One Opportunity Leads to Another

Reflecting on his experience, Momodou explained that the Athlete Impact Fund meant more to him than financial assistance.

It meant feeling that someone was helping him write his own sporting story.

That is the kind of impact Paragon seeks to create.

We know that a single intervention cannot remove every barrier facing an athlete. But the right support, delivered at the right time, can help an athlete make progress that opens the door to further opportunities.

Momodou’s journey demonstrates how improving access to a suitable training environment can contribute to performance development and help an athlete’s potential become more visible.

One opportunity can create momentum for the next.

Help us create more opportunities for African athletes.