Sports Awards of the Year 2017 - Male finalists |18 January 2018
With Allan Julie not chosen as the best sailor for the year 2017, it means he will relinquish the Sportsman of the Year title and the best male athlete among the best will be picked from the list of 10 best nominees.
The following are the top 10 finalists and how they fancy their chances of winning the title.
Dylan Sicobo - Athletics
Based at the IAAF High Performance Centre in Mauritius where he has former Mauritian great Stephan Buckland as coach, Dylan Sicobo started the season with a personal best of 10.53 seconds and he later lowered Cyril Brioche’s 30-year-old 10.51 seconds record with a performance of 10.49 seconds.
The 20-year-old again lowered the record to 10.38 seconds and at the Jeux de la Francophonie in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, he pulverised his own 100m Seychelles record with a time of 10.33 seconds in the semifinal and matched the time in the final to reach the finish line first to clinch the gold medal ahead of Ivorian athlete Arthur Cissé Gué who ran in 10.34 seconds.
He then joined forces with Sharry Dodin, Ned Azemia and Leeroy Henriette to win the 4x100m relay bronze medal in a new Seychelles record of 40.31 seconds.
Sicobo also took part in the IAAF World Athletics Championships in London where he failed to move past the preliminary rounds, finishing fourth in his heat with a time of 11.01 seconds. He also competed in many competitions in France early in the season.
“I feel proud and happy to be in the top 10 as I performed more or less very well last year. As to who will win the title I won’t say anything yet but wait for the judges’ decision on the 19th. Even though some people are telling me I can win it, I will prefer to wait,” said Sicobo.
Sharry Dodin - Athletics
The biggest achievement for sprinter Sharry Dodin in 2017 was a bronze medal in the 4x100m relay during the Jeux de La Francophonie in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire where he joined forces with Dylan Sicobo, Ned Azemia and Leeroy Henriette to finish third. 19-year-old Dodin also picked up the 100m bronze medal at the 13th Confederation of African Athletics Under-20 Championship (CAA) in Tlemcen, Algeria in 10.58 seconds. He finished eighth in the 200m in 21.43 seconds to better his old junior record of 21.67 seconds set during the Southern Region Senior Athletics Championship in Zimbabwe.
“I feel very happy to be chosen in the top 10 as I did quite well last year and I think I could feature among the top five also. As I am the runner-up to Dylan, he has the better chance of winning the title because of his gold medal,” said Dodin.
Edrian Volcère – Boxing
Praslinois boxer Edrian Volcère made his name in the boxing ring in 2017.
At the Indian Ocean international boxing gala in Reunion, the fighter won the 64kg gold medal. He also won a bronze medal in a competition in Serbia after winning one of his two fights and in an international fight during the annual Regatta event on home ground, he defeated Mauritian Jonathan Paris 2-1 to win his category.
“I am very happy to be among the 10 best athletes as I performed quite well last year. One has to have confidence in oneself and I am confident that I could win the title. Dylan Sicobo also did very well last year but I leave it to the jury to decide who will win,” said Volcère who is the first Praslinois ever to be chosen as Seychelles’ best boxer.
Christopher Gerry - Cycling
Nineteen-year-old Christopher Gerry took part in a few international competitions last year and his biggest exploit came in March when along with Mario Ernesta and Xerxes Larue he won the men’s senior sprint bronze medal at the African Continental Championship in Durban, South Africa.
Gerry also competed in the African Continental Road Championships in Luxor, Egypt in February last year and finished in the peloton. He also took part in the Tour de Maurice and was also the overall classification leader during the national competitions, winning four competitions. He also took part in most races in 2017.
“I am very happy to be in the final top 10 as the 2017 season was not easy at all and I would like to thank all those who supported me. I am looking forward for the final result as I think I could make it to the top five. I will let the jury decide on who will be the best sportsman for 2017,” said Gerry who will be 20 on January 28.
Xerxes Larue - Cycling
Xerxes Larue is runner-up to Christopher Gerry and his biggest exploit was when he teamed up with Gerry and Mario Ernesta for the bronze medal in the men’s senior sprint at the African Continental Championship in Durban, South Africa in March last year.
He also took part in the African Continental Road Championships in Luxor, Egypt in February last year.
“I feel happy to be among the top 10 although I was not even expecting to be featured. If I make it to the top five I would be even happier, but I don’t see myself winning the title as there are other athletes who have won gold medals. Dylan stands the best chance of winning,” said Larue.
Steve Marie - Karate
Beau Vallon Tang Soo Do karateka Steve Marie won two gold medals and a bronze in individual events at the European Tang Soo Do Championship held in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He won the two gold medals in sparring and open hand kata. Marie came third in kata with weapon to claim the bronze medal.
Said Marie: “I feel very proud to be in the top 10 and it is an accomplishment not only for me but for the sport also. I don’t see myself winning the title as my sport has little chance of making it to the top. I will leave it to the jury to decide if I will make the top five. I think (Jean-Marc) Gardette could win the title. His results are good”.
Rodney Govinden - Sailing
With a show of consistency in 2017, Rodney Govinden replaced 2016 Sportsman of Year Allan Julie as best sailor in 2017. At the 5th Regional Sailing Championship in Grand Baie, Mauritius, the 33-year-old Govinden claimed the silver medal in the Laser standard behind compatriot Julie who won the gold medal.
Govinden was also the winner of the National Championship and Hunt Deltel competition.
“Even though I had a rather slow season, I think I did my best and I am very happy to be among the top 10 athletes. To be in the top five will be difficult as I have only one international result but I am happy with what I have achieved. I see Dylan Sicobo as favourite to win the Sportsman of the Year title,” said Govinden who was crowned Sportsman of the Year 2015.
Roy Govinden – Sailing
Rodney’s twin brother Roy Govinden’s biggest achievement in 2017 was winning a bronze medal at the 5th Regional Sailing Championship in Grand Baie, Mauritius.
Locally, he won the L’Habitation Laser Open Cup and Cascade Slipway Trophy. He was the runner-up in the National Championship and Regatta event. In the Hunt Deltel Cup he finished third.
Roy could not be reached for his comments as he is in Australia doing his Master’s degree.
Bertrand Lablache - Windsurfing
Runner-up to Gardette last year, Bertrand Lablache performed excellently on the international scene in 2017. Lablache performed well in different competitions as he finished first in the National Championship giving a great performance. To show his worth, he also performed well at international level, finishing on the highest step of the podium in the Défi Wind 40km competition and second in the IFCA Grand Prix competition. He was also ranked third in the Regional Sailing Championship.
All three events were held in Mauritius.
“I think I worked very hard last year and I think I deserve to be at least in the top five but it will depend on how the jury judge my performance. I think the track & field athletics guy, Dylan, stands the better chance of winning the title. I think he won gold at the Jeux de La Francophonie. Didn’t he?”
Jean-Marc Gardette - Windsurfing
Jean-Marc Gardette was the African vice-champion of the RSX category of the African Windsurfing Championship held at the Moonbeach Resort in Egypt held from November 27 to December 2 last year. After 12 races, Gardette, with 16.4 points, took the silver medal behind gold medalist Bouras Hamza from Algeria with 13 points. The 40-year-old sailboarder also competed in the regional Sailing Championship (fifth position), the IFCA Grand Prix (ninth position) and the Défi Wind 40km competition (fifth position), all held in Mauritius last year.
“I feel happy to be among the best again this year as I have some good results. I don’t really think I could win the title as there are other athletes who have won gold medals and I don’t know if the jury looks at one individual medal or a group of medals all together to win. With a silver medal, I don’t think I stand a chance but maybe hopefully I can make it in the top five. I do not see anybody winning the title apart from Dylan Sicobo. His medals speak for themselves,” said Gardette who hails from Praslin.
P. J.