Athletics: Interview with 100m and 200m record holder Cyril Brioche-‘It’s high time somebody breaks the records’ |04 April 2009
“They (the records) have been there for too long. In fact, I think they should have been long gone. Records are made to be broken. When they are broken, it proves that Seychelles’ track and field is progressing,” he added.
Indian Ocean Islands Games 200m gold medallist with a time of 21.83 seconds, in Mauritius in 1985 after finishing in front of silver medallist Denis Rose – whom he succeeded as Seychelles’ speed king – Brioche got the standing national records over 100m (10.51 seconds on August 7) and 200m (21.61 seconds on August 11) in Nairobi, Kenya, during the fourth All-Africa Games in 1987.
Brioche had this to say to former sports journalist Denis Rose, after rewriting the record books: “I feel great. I wanted to bring my electronic times to the same level as my hand-timing national records and I have done so.”
His aim was to run the 100m under 10.50 seconds and the 200m under 21.50 seconds, but Brioche never realised his dream. He quit athletics in 1988 after just five years in the limelight.
“I quit not because I could not run any more or did not have the desire to train. I took the decision because I did not get the right support from the old athletics federation.
“I was a disciplined athlete who trained seriously. I used to get myself ready for top international competitions, only to be told at the last minute that I’m not going,” said the 45-year-old.
“This is not the case nowadays. Athletes are well looked after. They get a lot of incentives and can look forward to taking part in international competitions. I wish I could have benefited from such opportunities. Opportunities go hand in hand with discipline in training, determination and the will to achieve good results.
“Mervin Loizeau came bursting on to the sprint scene some three years ago and looked 
The man he has tipped as favourite to make a serious challenge to his 100m record is Danny D’Souza, who beat Brioche’s long-standing 60m indoor record of 7.22 seconds set in Indianapolis, United States, in 1987, with a new best time of 7.02 seconds during last year’s 12th IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships in the Palau Velódromo Luis Puig stadium in Valencia, Spain.
“Danny has shown a lot of potential and his recent results are quite encouraging. He has the qualities to power home in a fast time and I bet on him to lower my 100m record,” said Brioche.
Although the focus is on breaking the 100m record, Brioche believes the 200m national time could fall more easily.
“In my opinion, the 200m record is easier to beat. A good sprinter only needs to work on his speed and endurance to be in good shape. If he is well-prepared, I see no reason why he cannot break the record,” he said.
In his short but successful career, Brioche missed two major international games – the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1986 and the Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, in 1988 – after Seychelles decided not send a team.
G. G.