XXX Olympic Games in London – July 27 to August 12-‘We are confident you will stand tall in London’ |21 July 2012
Mr Meriton, who is also the Minister for Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports, told the Seychellois athletes who will be competing in the London Games through qualification or invitation that they have “earned this privilege because of your dogged determination and commitment to the goal which you have set for yourselves”.
“The months of sacrifice and intensive preparations have paid off. Whatever the outcome in London, we are confident that you will stand tall,” said the minister, who urged the athletes to perform to the best of their abilities and to be good ambassadors of Seychelles.
After telling the athletes that the entire Seychellois nation will be behind them in this special venture, Minister Meriton echoed President Michel’s words of the incentive package of R250,000 (gold medal), R200,000 (silver medal) and R150,000 (bronze medal). He added that the NSC has added this Olympic Games incentive package to its reward scheme now that Seychellois sportsmen and women have become more competitive on the world stage and an Olympic medal is becoming more and more a possibility.
The minister noted that he is certain many in the private sector will also reward the athletes in cash and kind and that some might even want to beat what the government has pledged.
Socga president Gopal congratulated the athletes and officials for making the team and told the sportsmen and women to make their mark and fly the country’s flag high in London.
“In our eyes you are all winners,” he told the athletes as he urged them to give their best and remain focused on what they have to do.
Encouraging the athletes to give their best in London, four-time former Olympian Allan Julien said he never looked back after going to the Olympics for the first time in 1996 in Atlanta, United States of America.
“I always improved my performance as I qualified for the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia, 2004 Games in Athens, Greece, and the 2008 Games in Beijing, China. You should not let pressure to have control over you, give your best and you will succeed,” said Julie.
On behalf of the team, male sprinter Jean-Yves Esparon thanked all the sports authorities for putting in place the infrastructure and structure for “young talents like us to be discovered, nurtured and showcased”.
“We will not disappoint you and thank you for believing in us. The Games will be an experience of a lifetime and a stepping stone to develop ourselves,” he said when delivering his vote of thanks.
This will be Seychelles’ eighth time at the Games after making its debut in Moscow, Russia, in 1980. The country did not compete in Seoul, South Korea, in 1988.
Seychelles will be represented by a delegation of 15 including six athletes at this year’s Games.
Other than judoka Dominic Dugasse and boxer Andrique Allisop who have qualified for the multi-sports Games, the four other athletes on the Seychelles team are Lissa Labiche, Jean-Yves Esparon, Aurelie Fanchette and Shane Mangroo.
Praslin judoka Dugasse was the first Seychellois athlete to qualify for this year’s Olympics through continental (African Judo Union) quota after amassing 30 points in the -100kg category.
Gold medallist at last year’s Indian Ocean Island Games on home soil with a win over Mauritian 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Bruno Julie, boxer Allisop edged out Kenyan Denis Okoth in the quarterfinal at the African Olympic qualification tournament in Casablanca, Morocco earlier this year to earn his ticket to the Olympics. He narrowly won the light weight bout 19-18 against Okoth before losing his semifinal fight on points – 8-16 – to Tunisian Ahmed Mejri to earn a bronze medal.
Allisop was absent at yesterday’s ceremony as he is in Cardiff, Wales following an intensive training programme ahead of competing at the Games.
Female high jumper Lissa Labiche has been invited by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) based on her performance at the recent 18th African Senior Athletics Championships, held in Porto-Novo, Benin where she cleared a height of 1.86m – a then Seychelles record – at the Charles de Gaulle stadium on June 30 to win the gold medal. She then won a silver in Barcelona, Spain, in the 14th IAAF World Junior Athletics Championships.
Sprinter Esparon was chosen by the Seychelles Athletics Federation (SAF) to compete in London after no local male athlete qualified for the Games or received IAAF invitation. On form Esparon beat Christopher Laurencine’s national junior 200m record with a new time of 21.75 seconds to be ranked 27th out of 50 competitors at the 18th African Senior Athletics Championships, held in Porto-Novo, Benin. Laurencine’s old mark of 21.95 seconds had been standing since August 18, 2007.
Swimmers Fanchette and Mangroo have been invited for the Games by the Fédération internationale de natation (Fina). While the former will swim the 200m freestyle, the latter will be involved in the 100m freestyle.
The coaches who will accompany the six athletes are Carlos Sanchez, Giovanni Fanny (athletics), Gerry Legras (boxing), Christian Velici (judo), Priscilla Kinloch and Barnsley Albert (swimming).
Mary Banane is the chef de mission, while Socga president Antonio Gopal and secretary general Alain Alcindor are the guests.
The delegation is expected to leave for London on Tuesday July 24.