11th Indian Ocean Island Games: Appreciation and Reward Ceremony |11 September 2023

Winner of three gold medals, swimmer Simon Bachman receives his reward from President Ramkalawan

‘Good performance from Team

Seychelles, despite unfair verdicts’

•         Boxer Shain Boniface receives golden reward for unfairly losing final

The performance of Team Seychelles at the recently-held 11th Indian Ocean Island Games in Madagascar from August 23 to September 3 was good, despite some unfair verdicts which have affected our final medal tally, President Wavel Ramkalawan has said.

The head-of-state was speaking during a special appreciation and reward ceremony held at State House on Saturday to thank Team Seychelles for its participation at the Games, bringing home a total of 84 medals – 11 gold, 33 silver, and 40 bronze – finishing fourth overall.

The ceremony which was attended by Vice-President Ahmed Afif, Designated Minister Jean-François Ferrari, cabinet ministers, athletes, coaches ,team managers and sponsors was highlighted by presentations of monetary rewards to medallists, whereby gold medal winners  received R40,000 per medal, while  silver medallists pocketed R25,000.

As for bronze medal winners, they received R12,000.

Pugilist Shain Boniface, who inexplicably lost his 67kg category final to Mauritian Judy Vadamootoo, has been awarded R40,000 due to the unfair final decision.

At the Games which started with the opening ceremony at the Barea Mahamasina Stadium in Antananarivo, where swimmer Felicity Passon was Seychelles’ flag bearer, Seychelles was being represented in 15 out of the 19 scheduled sporting events.

These were track and field athletics, basketball 5-a-side and 3-a-side, boxing, badminton, table tennis, football, cycling, weightlifting, judo, swimming, karate, handball, petanque, tennis and volleyball.

The trips to Madagascar – three chartered flights – were facilitated by national carrier Air Seychelles.

President Ramkalawan commended the athletes for bringing joy, unity and patriotism to the people of Seychelles throughout the ten days of competition, and also to fly the country’s flag high in Madagascar.

He also thanked everyone who has, in one way, or another played significant roles in backing up Team Seychelles in different areas of the Games, including preparations, logistics and psychological aspects.

President Ramkalawan pledged the government’s commitment in supporting local athletes – through the national budget – to the maximum.

He also announced that as a reward for winning the gold medal, the women’s volleyball selection will soon benefit from a tour in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where they will play against the country’s national side and other clubs.

President Ramkalawan, as an ex-athlete, urged everyone to take their sports discipline and training seriously, taking it to another level.

He also revealed several new upcoming sporting facilities on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue which he said will help to bring more options to the inner islands, while boosting the level of the existing ones.

The head-of-state also urged the coaches, team managers and chairpersons of sporting federations and associations to choose wisely when it comes to selecting athletes to represent the country, taking into account their commitment and willingness to represent Seychelles.

In his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief of the Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF), President Ramkalawan presented four members of the force who formed part of Team Seychelles, and were among the medallists.

They are Lieutenant Iven Moïse (two gold medals in athletics), Second-Lieutenant Melina Crispin (gold medal in women’s volleyball), Private Chakira Rose (two gold, and one silver medal in weightlifting) and Lance-Corporal Fabio Roselie (bronze medal in boxing).

On her part, Minister for Youth, Sports and Family Marie-Celine encouraged all those who did not bring home a medal, reassuring them that Team Seychelles is still young, and that with hard work, they will surely shine in four years’ time at the 12th Games.

She added that for the duration of the Games, the athletes have brought the whole Seychellois nation together, while positively influencing the younger generation.

Minister Zialor encouraged them to keep being role models, while thanking the sponsors for their valuable contributions, and the President and government for continuous investments in sports and in the youth of Seychelles.

With gratitude and humility, on behalf the athletes, volleyball player and gold medallist Maya Biong thanked all those who have facilitated the participation of Team Seychelles at the 11th IOIG in Madagascar.

She noted that even if the end result was not as good as in previous Games, victory also comes when athletes give their best in everything they attempt.

Miss Biong also acknowledged the work of all the local sporting federations and associations, as well as all the different branches of the National Sports Council (NSC) that were engaged in the preparations prior to, and during the Games.

She also thanked the government for the monetary rewards for medallists, which she said will serve as motivation for other athletes to perform better in the future.

The medallists at the 11th Indian Ocean Island Games

The gold medallists: Simon Bachman – Swimming (3), Chakira Rose – Weightlifting (2), Iven Moïse – Track and Field (2), Keddy Agnes – Boxing (1), Dasheil Fanchette –Boxing (1), Felicity Passon – Swimming (1) and the Women’s Volleyball Team (1)

The silver medallists: Simon Bachman – Swimming (1), Chakira Rose – Weightlifting (1), Felicity Passon – Swimming (6), Joelita Coloma – Weightlifting (3), Dereck Come – Weightlifting (3), Cyrous Farabeau – Weightlifting (3), Rick Confiance – Weightlifting (3), Clementina Agricole – Weightlifting (2), Adam Moncherry – Swimming (1), Frederick Gappy – Handisport Swimming (1), Joshua Onezime – High jump (1), Richard Sophola – Handisport Athletics (1), Rosie Coralie – Handisports Athletics (1), Arsheild David – Boxing (1), Edrian Volcère – Boxing (1), Amandah Payet – Judo (1), Swimming – Women’s Relay Team (2).

The bronze medallists: Clementina Agricole – Weightlifting (1), Sophie Frichot – Swimming (1), Terrence Dixie – Weightlifting (3), Liam Robert – Weightlifting (3), Stephanie De Letourdie – Karate (1), Gretel Valentin – Karate (1), Damien Payet – Swimming (1), Michael Andrew – Handisport Athletics(2), Bernard Theresine – Karate (2), Liliana Despeville Mason – Swimming (1), Norris Brioche – High jump (1), Gerry Theresine – Handisport (1), Alisha Gertrude – Handisports (1), Samuel Morel – Handisport (1), Fabio Roselie – Boxing (1), Jovanie Bouzin – Boxing (1), Joshua Cousin – Boxing (1), Adrian Laporte-Durup – Boxing (1), Dyan Vidot – Boxing (1), Tino Gabriel – Boxing (1), Dominic Dugasse – Boxing (1), David Boniface – Karate (1), Selwyn Payet – Karate (1), Petanque – Women’s  Doublette (1), Petanque – Men’s Triplette (1), Karate – Women’s Team Kata (1), Karate – Women’s Team Kumite (1), Swimming – Women’s  Relay Team (1), Swimming – Men’s Relay Team (3).

Roland Duval