10th All-Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique-Medallists rewarded |06 October 2011

The presentation ceremony took place at the Seafront Restaurant and was attended by Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vincent Meriton, youth and sports principal secretary Denis Rose, National Sports Council (NSC) chief executive Alain Volcère, major games director general Eric Arnephie, watersports director in the NSC Alain Alcindor and NSC’s sports management and development director Robert Auguste who was Team Seychelles’ chef de mission in Maputo.

Clifford André of Clifford André Law Chambers was also there to present prizes he has sponsored.

The country’s only gold medallist at the Games, easily winning the Laser standard class with eight first-place finishes and a second position in nine races, sailor Allan Julie received a total of R40,000 – R20,000 for the gold medal and R20,000 from Mr André for being his own coach.

The R20,000 prize money given by the Seychelles government for a gold medal is R10,000 more than what previous gold medallists Meggy Gertrude, Georgie Cupidon and Juliette Ah-Wan got in 2007.

The prize for a silver medal has also gone up from R7,500 to R9,000, while that for a bronze is R6,000 – R1,000 more than the previous figure.

Badminton player Georgie Cupidon got R21,000 after winning the mixed doubles silver medal alongside Alisen Camille, the men’s doubles bronze medal with partner Steve Malcouzane and the mixed team event bronze medal with Malcouzane, Camille, Kervin Ghislain, Cynthia Course and Danielle Jupiter.

Twice silver medallists with Cupidon (mixed doubles) and Course (women’s doubles), and mixed team event bronze medallist, Camille got the highest sum of R24,000.

Malcouzane pocketed R12,000 (two bronze medals), Course R15,000 (two medals – a silver and a bronze), Ghislain R6,000 (a bronze medal) and Jupiter R6,000 (a bronze medal).

Twice bronze medallist in the 800m and 1,500m freestyle, female swimmer Shrone Austin got R12,000.
Seychelles’ other bronze medallists at the Games – Rodney Govinden (Laser standard), Lissa Labiche (women’s high jump), Lindy Leveau-Agricole (women’s javelin) and William Woodcock (men’s high jump) – got R6,000 apiece.

After 15 days of fierce competition in Maputo, Team Seychelles won 11 medals – one gold, two silver and eight bronze – to finish 19th on the final medals’ table. In fact, Seychelles, who took part in athletics, boxing, badminton, swimming, sailing, canoeing and volleyball in Maputo, finished ahead of 17 medal-winning countries.

Mr André also gave out R9,000 to badminton coach Gerald Bibi and R6,000 to both Cuban athletics coaches Carlos Sanchez and Alexander Aroche.

Minister Meriton told the athletes that the “results you achieved in Maputo were very encouraging and you should always act as role models to youngsters of Seychelles.”

The minister also thanked all sponsors who are continuing to support sports here financially and in kind.
Meanwhile, weightlifting coaches William Dixie, Reginald Estro and McDonald Henriette received undisclosed cash prizes from an unnamed sponsor after coaching Seychellois lifters to winning 30 gold medals at the 8th Indian Ocean Island Games Seychelles hosted from August 5-14.

G. G.