8th Indian Ocean Island Games – Night of Champions-Shrone Austin pockets R121,000 |01 September 2011
Absent for yesterday’s Night of Champions at the International Conference Centre to reward Seychellois medallists at the recent 8th IOIG, Shrone prizes were picked up by her mum Hazel Austin during the ceremony attended by President James Michel, Vice-President Danny Faure, ministers, guests, representatives of sponsors, athletes and coaches.
The 22-year-old won 10 medals – five gold in the 400m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 800m freestyle, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley, two silver in the 200m breaststroke and 4x200m freestyle relay, and three bronze in the 100m breaststroke, 4x100m medley relay and 4x100m freestyle relay – at the 8th IOIG held here.
She got R15,000 for each gold medal, R6,000 for each silver medal and R3,000 for each bronze medal won at the Games.
On top of the monetary rewards given by the Seychelles government, Shrone received R25,000 – R5,000 for each gold medal won – from P & J Supplies, a dinner voucher from 
After taking part in the Games for the first time in Mauritius in 2003, Shrone pocketed the highest sum of R47,500 with eight medals – four gold in the 100m breaststroke, 400m freestyle, 200m breaststroke and 800m freestyle; three silver in 400m individual medley, 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley; and one bronze in the 4x200m freestyle relay.
The former Sportslady of the Year and three-time Young Female Athlete of the Year, went home with R62,500 after becoming the first Seychellois athlete to win the most gold medals at the IOIG with seven gold medals won in the 800m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 200m breaststroke, 200m freestyle, 400m individual medley, 400m freestyle and 200m individual medley. She also won a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke and two bronze in the 100m butterfly and 4x200m freestyle relay.
P & J Supplies gave R5,000 to all gold medallists from individual sports and R3,000 to all gold medallists from team sports.
Charlie Ng of Electronic 2000 sponsored 14-inch TVs for all gold medallists, Cable & Wireless have given iphones to all Games’ record breakers, Life insurance agent Dolor Ernesta gave R3,000 to gold medallists Vincent Euphrasie, Abdel Sylla, Amadou Sylla and Lissa Labiche who all have a life insurance cover with him, while the Bravo Restaurant gave dinner vouchers to all gold medallists from individual sports.
There were dance performances on the night as those presented relived some of the Games’ best moments through a video that was screened.
Ken Choo of Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Hotel, Jocelyn Ah-Yu of the Mauritius Commercial Bank, Walter Labrosse of Laxmanbhai Company, Thomas Dauban of Cable & Wireless and Vesh Kidao of Vijay Construction thanked the Seychellois athletes for proving to all sponsors why it is worthwhile for them to be associated with sports in Seychelles.
They all committed their respective company’s wish to continue working with sports bodies here to further bring Seychelles’ sports to the next level after showing that it is a force to be reckoned with in the region.
G. G.