President pledges more help for local athletes |11 July 2014

Young Seychellois sportsmen and women who have achieved excellent results this year and have shown what an impressive team Seychelles has, while competing with strong nations in Africa, have been congratulated by President James Michel.

Mr Michel met a large sports delegation comprising young boxers and swimmers who won medals in African competitions recently and who are preparing for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland from July 23-August 3. The meeting took place yesterday morning at State House.

“I am proud of you and wish you success in the Commonwealth Games, where I am sure you will give your best for your country … I fully support the development of the youth and sporting talent, it is a priority and we will ensure that you receive the support you need,” said President Michel.

“I am happy with my meeting with the President and I got the chance to discuss boxing with him. We talked about the good things that are going on in the sport and also pointed out the things that need to be improved,” boxer Andrique Allisop told the media.

Allisop was the 60kg gold medallist at the fifth African Boxing Cup in South Africa and the International Limassol Boxing Cup in Cyprus.
He was accompanied by fellow boxers Keddy Agnes, Kevin Kilindo and Jovette Jean, and female swimmer Felicity Passon.

Agnes was a bronze medallist in the 91+kg category at the fifth African Boxing Cup and won a silver at the International Limassol Boxing Cup in Cyprus.
Jovette Jean had to abandon the competition in South Africa with broken bones in the hand after winning his first fight in the 75kg class.

Young boxer Kevin Kilindo won the 91kg category gold medal at the 2014 African Youth Games in Gaborone, Botswana. After receiving a favourable draw to qualify straight for the final, Kilindo fought a Nigerian and won on a 3-0 score to grab the gold medal.

He also won the silver medal in the 91kg category at the African Youth Championship in Yaounde, Cameroon. After earning a bye straight into the final where he faced Bouzid Youcef from Algeria and lost 0-3.

Female swimmer Felicity Passon grabbed two bronze medals in the 50m butterfly (29.14 seconds) and 50m freestyle (27.37 seconds) events at the 2014 African Youth Games in Gaborone, Botswana.

The 50m freestyle time earned Passon qualification for the Olympic Youth Games slated for Nanjing, China from August 16-28, 2014.
Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports Minister Vincent Meriton, National Sports Council chief executive Giovanna Rousseau and Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association president Antonio Gopal together with the young athletes as well as their federation representatives, spoke to the President about their plans for the future, the difficulties they are encountering and the future needs of their sports.
As they get ready to take part in the Commonwealth Games the athletes said they will give their very best.

“With my recent good performances I am still in competitive mood. My colleague Keddy Agnes and I are going to the Commonwealth Games with a positive attitude so that we do as good as we did in the recent competitions,” Allisop said.

“I am honoured to have met the President and with the Commonwealth and Youth Olympics Games fast approaching, I am training hard and I just hope to do well,” Felicity Passon said.

Speaking to the press, Ms Rousseau said: “For us all athletes who are ready to work, who want to achieve international level sports, we are here for them. We guarantee that we will help them. What is most important is that these athletes want to reach that level and that they are ready to discipline themselves… To achieve the international level you have to be dedicated and have discipline.”

Hervey Anthony (Seychelles Boxing Federation chairman), Edmond Folette (Seychelles Boxing Federation treasurer), boxing coaches Gerry Legras and Rival Payet, Kenny Roberts (Seychelles Swimming Association vice-chairman) and swimming coach Marcel Antat were also part of the delegation who met the President yesterday.