Sailing: Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 |16 October 2019

Govinden proudly wears his winner’s medal

Govinden eyes a good performance at second Games

The immediate plan for local Laser specialist Rodney Govinden is to sit down with his coach and the sports authority to set up a training plan, based on the available budget, prior to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Born on September 13, 1984, Govinden became the first Seychellois athlete to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo after clinching the Laser gold medal at the 2019 African Championship RSX and Laser, Algiers, Algeria last week.

He finished with a nett score of 22 points which were enough for him to book a place in Tokyo next year. He had three first places, five second places, one third place, one 10th place and one 11th position, but his two worst finishes – 10th and 11th places – were discarded.

A total of 15 sailors including him and compatriot Allan Julie, three Algerians, two Egyptians, two Mauritians, two Tunisians, two Angolans, one Tanzanian and one Moroccan took part in the 2019 African Championship RSX and Laser in Algiers.

Second place and the silver medal went to Egyptian Aly Badawy with a nett score of 26, while Angolan Manuel Lelo was third with a nett score of 33 in Algiers.

Seychelles’ veteran Laser champion Allan Julie who has made five appearances at the Olympics Games, was ranked fourth.

Although he did not receive the welcome he deserves upon his return to the country on Monday morning, Govinden, who is chief fisheries technician at the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA), is not letting anything come between him and his sport.

The Tokyo Olympics will be Govinden’s second after competing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016 where he finished 45th overall.

Speaking to Sports NATION, the sailor said he is very happy and proud to have once again clinched a spot at the Olympic Games.

An achievement which he said involved a lot of hard work and sacrifices.

He explained that he has been training since the last Olympic Games in Rio, especially during the off-season period.

“This, he said, helps to maintain a solid physical base.”

Govinden further added that “the preparations for the 2019 African Championship RSX and Laser started two years ago, after getting an Olympic Solidarity scholarship and it involved local training, as well as international training camps which included skill sharpening techniques, as well as competitions”.

As for his goal for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Govinden again said he needs to sit down with his coach to discuss and set up a realistic one.

“It should be in the top 25,” he added.

R. D.