Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association – Paris 2024 Olympics |16 March 2023
Less than 500 days remaining
In less than 500 days, Paris will officially host the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, commonly known as Paris 2024 ‒ the international multi-sport event is scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
Paris was awarded the Games at the 131st International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Lima, Peru, on September 13, 2017.
Due to multiple withdrawals that left only Paris and Los Angeles in contention, IOC approved a process to concurrently award the 2024 and 2028 Summer Olympics to the two cities.
Having previously hosted the Games in 1900 and 1924, Paris will become the second city to host the Summer Olympics three times after London (1908, 1948 and 2012).
Paris 2024 will mark the centenary of Paris 1924, and the sixth Olympic Games hosted by France (three in the summer – 1900, 1924, 2024 ‒ and three in winter – 1924, 1968, 1992), and the first Olympic Games in France since the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville.
The event will return to its traditional four-year Olympiad cycle, after the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which was delayed to 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Games would be the first of three successive Summer Olympics to use only two official languages (English and French).
It will feature the debut of breaking (break-dancing) as an Olympic event, and it will also be the final Olympic Games held during the presidency of IOC president Thomas Bach.
As it has been the case since the 1980 Summer Olympics officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, held in Russia, Seychelles will also feature at the Paris 2024.
There are presently six local Paris 2024 Olympic Scholarship holders who are being helped as elite athletes in their preparations and qualifications for the Games.
They are Ned Azemia (athletics), Sharry Dodin (athletics), Shain Boniface (boxing), Joelita Coloma (weightlifting), Loïc D’offay (yachting) and Felicity Passon (swimming).
Ned Azemia
“From November until February, training went well and everything went according to plan, until the past four weeks where I have been treating an injury suffered during a recent competition. But nonetheless, I still have hope that I can bounce back for this season with a positive mindset and a positive attitude towards my injury.
The goal to qualify for Paris remains my main priority, despite the small setback. Moving forward this year, I want to make a good impression at the World Championship, Jeux de la Francophonie, and of course the Indian Ocean Islands Games.”
Shain Boniface
“My training is a combination of endurance, weights and techniques, conducted four days a week. I have set a goal to bring back a medal for my country in the upcoming competitions, and I inspire to become one of the Seychellois boxers to qualify for the Paris 2024.”
Sharry Dodin
“Training is really intense at the moment and I am on my highest peak ever. I will be competing soon and attempt qualification for the 2024 Olympics as that is my main dream. Everyone with a dream can make it come true by never giving up, and keep chasing it.”
Joelita Coloma
“Training so far has been challenging, but also rewarding since I have made a lot of improvement, especially on my personal best. It is a process but I am putting everything I have into my training to hopefully make good results when the time comes.”
Loïc D’offay
“Since the beginning of the year, I have been training locally for upcoming regional events such as the Indian Ocean Islands Games and the African Championship 2024 qualifications. Preparation for these consists of my personally-made training plan for off-water endurance and strength-building exercises, mental preparation for big events and strategies for different scenarios for when on-water and game plans
“Last year I attended a training camp in Malta for six months which also included participation at a few prestigious events around Europe. As it is my first Olympic campaign run, the realistic goal is to take part in the Paris 2024 qualification and give it my best shot.”
Compiled by Roland Duval
