Sports Awards of the Year 2010-Georges and Dixie the best |29 January 2011
Janet Georges (formerly Thélermont) and Terrence Dixie won the coveted titles last night.
While Dixie won the Sportsman of the Year title for the first time, Georges’ win was her fourth.
Seychelles Nation presents short profiles of the top five chosen from the finalists in both the female and male categories.
Weightlifter Terrence Dixie – Sportsman of the Year
Local competitions:
Winner of the 85kg category in the National Open and National Championship.
International competitions:
Double silver medallist in the 85kg division at the 17th African Senior Weightlifting Championship in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Ranked eighth out of 20 competitors in the men’s 85kg weight category with an Olympic total of 280kg (130 in snatch and 150 in clean & jerk) at the XIX Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.
This is the first time Dixie has won the Sportsman of the Year title. Coached by his father William Dixie, he becomes the second lifter after Steven Baccus in 2003 to win the title.
High jumper William Woodcock – runner-up
Local competitions:
Winner of all local competitions and equalled the Seychelles record of 2.20m – during the Athletics Day competition at the Stad Popiler. The height is also a personal best.
International competitions:
Ranked eighth at the XIX Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India with 2.20m in the final.
Ranked fourth after clearing the bar at 2.15m – the same height as the silver and bronze medallists – at the 17th African Senior Athletics Championship in Nairobi, Kenya.
This is Praslinois Woodcock’s best overall finish in the Sportsman of the Year challenge. He has won the best male athlete of the year title for the second year in a row, bringing his number of victories to three after a first win in 2007.
Swimmer Shane Mangroo – third place
Local competitions:
Won the National Open Championship.
Runner-up in the International School Seychelles (ISS) swim series.
International competitions:
50m freestyle and 100m butterfly bronze medallist at the first African Youth Games in Morocco.
Competed in the XIX Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, and the Singapore National Open Championship.
Voted Young Male Athlete of the Year in 2009, Mangroo, 17, has won the swimmer of the year title three years in a row.
Table tennis player Godfrey Sultan – fourth place
Local competitions:
Winner of the May, July, September and December monthly challenge competitions;
Winner of the STTA Knockout competition.
International competitions:
Men’s singles gold medallist at the Anoca zone 7 Games in Mauritius.
Mixed doubles bronze medallist alongside Janice Mellie at the Anoca zone 7 Games in Mauritius.
Fifth overall in 2008, Sultan has waited two years to feature in the top five once more.
Badminton player Kervin Ghislain – fifth place
Local competitions:
Men’s doubles winner of the Curtain-raiser tournament and the Closing Cup.
Mixed doubles winner of the Closing Cup.
International competitions:
Winner of a match at the XIX Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, to reach the second round of the singles event.
Winner of two silver medals in the men’s singles and team event at the Anoca zone 7 Games in Mauritius.
Winner of a bronze in the mixed doubles at the Anoca zone 7 Games in Mauritius.
Took part in the maiden Olympic Youth Games in Singapore.
Competed at the African Senior Badminton Championship.
This is the first time 18-year-old Ghislain has broken into the top five, after an eventful 2010 season.
Weightlifter Janet Georges – Sportswoman of the Year
Local competitions:
Won the 69kg category of the Open Championship and National Championship.
International competitions:
Silver medallist with a total lift of 216kg at the XIX Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.
Triple gold medallist in the 69kg category at the 17th African Senior Weightlifting Championship in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
This is the fourth time Georges, 31, has won the Sportswoman of the Year title after past wins in 2002, 2004 and 2006. She has also finished runner-up three times – in 2003 behind Shrone Austin and 2005 behind Lindy Leveau-Agricole. She was fifth overall in 2000, fourth in 2001 and 2007.
High jumper Lissa Labiche – runner-up
Local competitions:
Dominated the high jump event at the National Junior Championship and National Championship.
International competitions:
High jump silver medallist with a height of 1.70m at the 17th African Senior Athletics Championship in Nairobi, Kenya.
High jump gold medallist with 1.70m at the Jeux de la Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l’Océan Indien in Reunion.
High jump gold medallist with 1.70m at the Mauritius International Meet.
High jump silver medallist with 1.70m at the Southern Region Youth Championship in Botswana.
Registered a height of 1.74m at the World Youth Championship in Verona, Italy.
Ranked 12th out of 13 at the XIX Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, with 1.68m.
Labiche, 17, is a first-time winner of the female athlete of the year title and did well although she did not trouble her Seychelles record of 1.79m set in 2008 at the Stad Popiler. She was fourth overall in 2008.
Weightlifter Katsia Télémaque – third place
Local competitions:
Won the 48kg category of the Open Championship and National Championship with Olympic totals of 137kg.
International competitions:
Triple silver medallist after snatching 65kg and heaving 80kg in the clean & jerk for an Olympic total of 145kg in the 48kg division of the 17th African Senior Weightlifting Championship in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Ranked eighth out of 10 in the women’s 48kg division with an Olympic total of 145kg (65kg snatch and 80kg clean & jerk) at the XIX Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.
Fourth in 2009, Télémaque, 21, has moved a step up the ladder to third this time after a good 2010 season.
Badminton player Alisen Camille – fourth place
Local competitions:
Winner of the ladies’ singles and mixed doubles of the Curtain-raiser tournament.
International competitions:
Ladies’ doubles bronze medallist with partner Juliette Ah-Wan at the African Senior Badminton Championship.
Took part in the XIX Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.
Juliette Ah-Wan’s cousin, Camille, 18, was voted Young Female Athlete of the Year in 2009 and made her mark in 2010.
Badminton player Juliette Ah-Wan – fifth place
Local competitions:
Winner of the ladies’ singles and ladies’ doubles events of the Curtain-raiser tournament.
Mixed doubles runner-up of the Curtain-raiser tournament.
International competitions:
Ladies’ doubles bronze medallist with partner Alisen Camille at the African Senior Badminton Championship.
Took part in the XIX Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India.
Twice former Sportswoman of the Year, in 2000 and 2007, Ah-Wan is a regular in the fight for the top title. She was runner-up to Sportsladies of the Year Sophia Vandagne in 1999 and Janet Thélermont in 2002, finished third in 2006 and 2009, and was fourth overall in 2003 and 2004. She also won the Young Female Athlete of the Tear title three times – in 1997, 1998 and 1999.
Compiled by G. G.