For Bobson Mansaray, swimming has never just been about medals or records. His journey began in the most harrowing of circumstances, at age 12, when a boat he was travelling on capsized off the coast of Sierra Leone. He survived. His friends did not. “I watched all my friends pass away,” Bobson recalls.
That moment changed the course of his life. Turning away from soccer, his sport of choice, Bobson committed himself to the water, not for glory, but for meaning. From trauma emerged a passion that would carry him all the way to the Olympic Games and now, to the Bega Valley.
“It’s not about profession, it’s about passion,” he says of his new role as swimming coach for the shire. “I decided to push myself… I know the trauma I’ve been through, and that’s how I found my love for swimming.”
Now based at the Sapphire Aquatic Centre in Pambula Beach, Bobson is bringing renewed energy and expertise to the local swimming scene. With a background that includes Olympic and Commonwealth Games coaching, national squad leadership, and elite programs in Abu Dhabi and Melbourne, his arrival is already being felt in the early morning squad sessions, where technique, resilience and belief go hand-in-hand.
“He believes in them,” says Aquatic and Leisure Facilities Coordinator Nic Hoynes. “And that belief is contagious.”
Bega Valley has long produced talented swimmers, supported by dedicated teachers, parents and surf lifesaving clubs. But as Hoynes explains, the region’s remoteness and seasonal pool operations have made it difficult to attract new coaching talent.
“And then out of the blue, Bobson’s application landed in my inbox,” he says. “After a few chats, he made the move to the Bega Valley, and we couldn’t be happier.”
Bobson is no ordinary coach. He represented Sierra Leone at the Atlanta Olympic Games. Later, he rebuilt a neglected public pool in Sierra Leone to give young swimmers a safe place to train. When that facility was reclaimed, he started over again, first in Abu Dhabi, then Australia.
“It’s been a challenging path, but every step made me better equipped to find solutions in difficult times,” he says.
Now, with a global perspective and deep emotional intelligence, Bobson is helping local athletes see that strength isn’t just about the finish line. It’s about consistency, mindset, and the courage to keep showing up.
With Bobson on deck, the future of swimming in the Bega Valley looks not only strong, but deeply inspired.