Boxing: 11th Indian Ocean Islands Games 2023 – Madagascar |16 February 2023

The boxers, coaches and SBF executive committee members (Photo: Louis Toussaint)

Former kings of the region start title-reclaiming campaign

Seychellois boxers were once considered as the boxing kings of the Indian Ocean until the last Indian Ocean Islands Games when the country failed to grab a gold medal.

With the 11th Indian Ocean Island Games 2023 scheduled to take place in Madagascar from August 23 to September 3, the Seychelles national pre-selection have already begun preparing and the tough quest is to regain the title.

Under the guidance of coaches Gerry Legras, Rival Payet and Roland Raforme, all three past gold medallists at the Games, the 21-member pre-selection, including one female pugilist, have already entered an intensive training programme. In the end, only 13 of them will decide their own fate at the 11th regional encounter.

The 21 members of the pre-selection are Timo Gabriel (48kg), Michael Tabbita (51kg), Romano Moustache (54kg), Archil David (54kg), Russel Victor (57kg), Fabio Roselie (60kg), Dario Victor (60kg), Mohamad William (63kg), Roberto Padayachy (63.5kg), Nel Rioux (63.5kg), Shain Boniface (67kg), Greg Estico (67kg), Jovanie Bouzin (71kg), Ivan Rachel (71kg), Edrian Volcère (75kg), Joshua Cousin (75kg), Nichol Bamboche (75kg), Dasheil Fanchette (81kg), Dyan Vidot (91kg), Keddy Agnes (91+kg), and female fighter Arianna Meme (66kg).

According to coach Legras, everything is well in place for a good preparation, while it will be all up to the pugilists to come with the right mentality, discipline and determination, to be selected and shine at the Games.

“We have some good athletes, and with the right mindset, they will definitely achieve great results in Madagascar,” said coach Legras.

Meanwhile, coach Raforme has been awarded the status of one star coach by the International Boxing Association (IBA), following the successful completion of the IBA one star online coaching course held from September 5-13, 2020.

He received his certificate yesterday from vice-chairman of the Seychelles Boxing Federation (SBF) Jack Bonne in the presence of secretary general of the SBF Edmond Folette, his fellow coaches and athletes.

The one star course covers, in depth, topics including coaching styles, teaching and training methods, basic techniques, evaluation, responsibilities in competition and anti-doping.

It is part of the three-step IBA coaching pathway which creates a clear system for developing coaches from the national level right up to IBA three-star certification, ensuring the highest quality and global standards are met in coaching.

Roland Duval