Dominoes: Inter-home for the elderly competition |09 October 2023

Winner of the inaugural inter-home for the elderly competition English River (Photo: Roland Duval)

English River home, the grand winners

The English River home for the elderly are the grand winners of the inaugural inter-home dominoes tournament hosted by the elderly and disabled division under the aegis of family department, in collaboration with the community leisure and sports within the National Sports Council as part of the activities to commemorate this year’s International Day for Older persons which was on Sunday October 1.

The day is celebrated annually to recognise the contributions of older persons and to examine issues that affect their lives, while it also provides an opportunity to acknowledge the contribution, wisdom, dignity and needs of our senior citizens and to rededicate our efforts to ensure their well-being.

The tournament held on Saturday at the Victoria Gymnasium gathered elderly citizens from nine homes – seven on Mahé, and two from Praslin and La Digue – along with a team representing the country’s elderly community.

The teams represented homes from La Retraite, English River, Plaisance, Pointe Larue, Au Cap, Anse Royale, Anse Boileau, Praslin and La Digue.

The tournament, which was officially launched by director general for the elderly and disabled, Rosa Morin, and coordinated by Neville Bonnelame, was played on a league basis, with each team having six chances.

Having accumulated the most points, English River and Plaisance met in the decider match – considered as a final – where the former emerged victorious to take home the inaugural title, pushing the latter into the runners-up spot, while La Digue sailed home with the third-place reward.

As winners, English River received R3,500 sponsored by Island Seabird Group Ltd which was being represented by managing director Suranga Fernando and a cup sponsored by the Seychelles Hockey Federation represented by chairman Georges Sicobo.

Runners-up Plaisance pocketed R2,000 and a cup, while third-placed finishers La Digue took home R1,500.

Island Seabird Group Ltd also sponsored the monetary rewards for the second and third place finishers.

Roland Duval