Sports Awards of the Year 2012-Labiche, Allisop rack up top awards |26 January 2013

Labiche scaled bigger heights in 2012 to write some new chapters in the history of Seychelles’ track & field athletics. In fact, she started her record-breaking spree during the National Championship with a height of 1.85m.

After being crowned women’s high jump champion at the 18th African Senior Athletics Championships in Porto-Novo, Benin after clearing the bar at 1.86m – a then junior and senior Seychelles record – at the Charles de Gaulle stadium on June 30, Labiche went over 1.88m – a new junior and senior Seychelles record – at the 14th International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Junior Athletics Championships inside the Montjuic Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain.

Invited by the IAAF to compete at the XXX Olympic Games in London, England from July 27 to August 12, she finished with a bar of 1.85m in the group B qualifiers.

She was also the high jump silver medallist at both the Southern region junior championship in Namibia and South Africa open championship.

Labiche, who has succeeded badminton player Alisen Camille as Sportswoman of the Year, improved her Seychelles junior long jump record to 6.28m during the Southern region junior championship in Namibia.

She is the fourth track & field athlete after Mirenda Francourt (in 1992 and 1994), Beryl Laramé (in 1993), Lindy Leveau-Agricole (in 1996, 2005, 2008 and 2009) and Helda Marie (in 2001) to win the Sportswoman of the Year crown.

The last time a boxer won the Sportsman of the Year title was in 1997 and Andrique Allisop has made his sport proud by clinching the title and becoming the fifth fighter to be crowned.

Although the Seychelles Amateur Boxing Association did not organise any local competition in 2012 as it focused its attention on qualifying fighters for the Olympic Games, Allisop was the only local boxer who made it to London.

He qualified for the Olympics by winning a lightweight category bronze medal at the African Olympic qualification tournament in Casablanca, Morocco after edging out Kenyan Denis Okoth 19-18 in the quarterfinal before losing his semifinal fight on points – 8-16 – to Tunisian Ahmed Mejri.

In London, Allisop lost his first bout to a more experienced opponent – Jai Bhagwan of India – on an 8-18 verdict in the men's lightweight (60kg) category bout of the round of 32.

The other boxers to win the Sportsman of the Year title are Ralph Labrosse (1985), Jerry Legras (1987, 1996 and 1997), Rival Cadeau (now Payet, 1989, 1993, 1994 and 1995), and Roland Raforme (1991).

Chosen as Young Female and Male Athletes of the Year for the first time, throws specialist Marie-Helen Rose and swimmer Adam Viktora become the fourth individuals in their respective sport to win the titles.

The daughter of Sportswoman of the Year 1997 Jerina Bonne and sister of professional volleyballer Marielle Bonne the winner of the Young Female Athlete of the Year 2008, Rose has also finished fourth overall after being a triple silver medallist in shot put, javelin and discus at the Southern region junior championship in Namibia.

She was also a double bronze medallist in discus and shot put at the Southern region youth championship in Zimbabwe, and at the Jeux de la CJSOI in the Comoros she won a gold medal in the shot put.

In local competitions, she claimed two gold medals in discus and shot in the National junior championship, and another two gold in javelin and discus and a silver in hammer at the National youth championship.

The other athletes to have won the Young Female Athlete of the Year title are Natacha Bibi (2000), Helda Marie (2001) and Lissa Labiche (2010).

Adam Viktora is the fourth swimmer after Steven Mangroo (2003 and 2005), Adrian Nanty 92006) and Shane Mangroo (2009) to take home the Young Male Athlete of the Year trophy.

In 2012, Viktora claimed the 800m freestyle gold medal in the 15 years and above category of the Confédération Africaine de Natation Amateur (Cana) Zone III and IV Swimming Championships at the Zimpeto Olympic Pool in Maputo, Mozambique. He also won three silver medals in the 100m freestyle, 400m freestyle and 200m freestyle, and a bronze in the 100m butterfly.

The 16-year-old also took part in the African Senior Swimming Championship in Kenya and the World Short Course Championship in Turkey where he improved five personal best times.

Locally, he took part in the Sacos School swimming championship, the Sacos National championship, the Sprint Festival, the Middle Distance meet, the long distance meet and the individual medley meet.

G. G.