Athletics: 34th IAAF World Cross-country Championships-Gaylord to represent Seychelles in Edinburgh |14 March 2008

The Seychelles Athletics Federation (SAF) made the choice, taking into account the proximity of the race venue and France where Gaylord is staying.

But Seychelles-based long distance runner Simon Labiche, winner of the inaugural edition of the Eco-Healing Seychelles Marathon, is against the decision.

“I was told by the SAF that if I run under 40 minutes in the last cross-country race here I would be selected for the World Cross-country Championships. I did it but now I don’t understand why they have decided that Silly (Gaylord) should represent Seychelles at the event. It’s a bit frustrating. I was prepared to use the air ticket I won from Air Seychelles upon winning the marathon to go to Edinburgh and compete for Seychelles. I deserve the chance to represent Seychelles,” Labiche told Sports Nation.

Contacted by Sports Nation, SAF secretary general Wilfred Adrien said that “it is going to cost us less to send Gaylord, who is based in France, to the World Cross-country Championships rather than sending someone who is based in Seychelles. Like Simon, Silly has competed in a number of cross-country races in France this year. We told him (Simon) that he would compete in the African Southern Region Cross-Country Championship if he clocked a sub 40-minute time in the last cross-country race. He did it, but he chose not to compete and registered for the Eco-Healing Seychelles Marathon. We had a choice between him and Simon (Labiche) to compete in the World Cross-Country Championships and in the end, we decided that Silly should go.

By taking such a decision, we are giving the chance to a young athlete to taste competition at this level. As for Simon, he has competed in many big international events in the past and we’ve told him that now that he has decided to concentrate on running marathon races, he stands the chance of being selected for a future competition.”

It is worth noting that Gaylord made his debut for Seychelles at last year’s Seventh Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) in Madagascar, but did not win any medal.

G. G.