10th Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG), Mauritius July 19-28, 2019 |20 July 2019
Rossi wears a big smile after winning the men’s 50m breaststroke
Swimming
Felicity Passon gets 50m freestyle gold medal and Games’ record
- Gold for Samuele Rossi in 50m breaststroke
The new Indian Ocean Island Games’women’s 50m freestyle record now stands at 26.21 seconds and it belongs to Seychellois Felicity Passon.
Passon set the new record yesterday during day one of the swimming competition in the swimming pool of the Côte d’Or Sports Complex in Mauritius.
Samuele Rossi added a second gold medal in Team Seychelles’basket after winning the men’s 50m breaststroke.
Rossi completed the race in 29.38 seconds, leaving compatriot Joshua Miller in seventh place, with a time of 32.70 seconds.
Under the watchful eyes of Designated Minister Macsuzy Mondon who is also responsible for sports, and principal secretary for youth and sports Fabian Palmyre, the women’s 50m freestylerace was the first event of the afternoon’s finals programme and Passon’s gold medal was the first of the ongoing 10th Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG).
Seychelles’ other swimmer in the race was Aaliyah Palestrini who finished fifth overall in 27.99 seconds.
A very humble Passon said she was really happy with her performance as she was not expecting the gold medal, let alone the Games record.
“I was not expecting to swim this fast, since I have not swam the event in two years and I am really happy that I won the first medal for Seychelles. Also the 50m freestyle is not my signature event as I concentrate more 100m backstroke, 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle. I will be performing in these events today (Saturday), Sunday and Monday and I hope to win the gold medals,” said Passon.
Since it’s her first ever gold medal at the IOIG, Passon said it is a great achievement because at the last Games in 2015 in Reunion she won five silver and five bronze medals.
“I am happy to have started the competition with gold medal,” said Passon who added that her preparations were very tough and not in the best conditions she would have wanted.
She however noted that she managed to turn the situation around with altitude training in South Africa and from then on it was all good for her.
Joined by her family yesterday, Passon said their presence will sure boost up her morale and push her to go all the way to win more medals for Seychelles.
Passon also won a silver medal in the women 4x100m freestyle relay where she teamed up with Palestrini, Sofie Frichot and Therese Soukup to finish second in 4 minutes 01.79 seconds (4:01.79).
Seychelles’ second silver medal came courtesy of Simon Bachman in the 400m individual medley. Bachman clocked 4:33.18 to finish as the race’s runner-up. Hayden Ah-Wan finished fifth overall in 5:05.7.
The third silver medal was harvested by Mathieu Bachman in the men’s 50m freestyle and he finished the race in 23.54 seconds. Seychelles’ other swimmer in the race, Adam Moncherry finished seventh overall in 25.12 seconds.
Team Seychelles also won two bronze medals yesterday, firstly in the women’s 400m individual medley where Therese Soukup finished third in 5:27.83 and in the men’s 4x1000 freestyle relay where Lenel Ah-Wan, Tyler Fred, Mathieu Bachman and Dean Hoffman finished third in 3:37.04.
In the women’s 50m breaststroke, Khema Elizabeth could only manage a fifth-place finish in 39.26 seconds, finishing ahead of compatriot Lili De Speville Mason who was sixth in 40.33seconds.
Commenting on the team’s performance on the first day of the competition, coach Kenny Roberts said he is not really surprised by the results, especially with Passon’s exploit as they knew her ability and she did not disappoint them.
He noted that the result is a good boost for the team, especially on day one.
This, he said, will put the team on the right track for the five-day competition which he said will not be easy.
Coach Roberts also noted that he is quite impressed with Rossi’s performance which he said comes as a bonus for him since the remaining races will be quite tough.
The medal presentation for the first day of competition will take place today.
After the first day of competition, Reunion is leading the medals table with four gold, a silver and four bronze, ahead of host Mauritius who is second on two gold, four silver and two bronze.
Seychelles is third on two gold, three silver and two bronze.
The Comoros, Madagascar, the Maldives and Mayotte did not win any medal on day one.
Results of day one
Men’s 50m freestyle: Gold: Bradley Vincent (Mauritius) 22.57 seconds (Record), Silver: Mathieu Bachmann (Seychelles) 23.54 seconds, Bronze: Loïc Payet (Reunion) 24.00 seconds
Men’s50m breaststroke: Gold: Samuele Rossi (Seychelles) 29:38 seconds, Silver: Oliver Wong Chap Lan (Mauritius) 30:03 seconds, Bronze: Milian Boucher (Reunion) 30:47 seconds
Men’s 400m individual medley: Gold: Ambroise Petit (Reunion) 4:31.95 (Record), Silver: Simon Bachmann (Seychelles) 4:33.18, Bronze: Mathieu Marquet (Mauritius) 4:50.08
Men’s 4x100m relay: Gold: Reunion (Pierre Yves Desprez, Grégory Robert, Ambroise Petit, Loïc Payet) 3:28.49, Silver: Mauritius (Ovesh Purahoo, Mathieu Marquet, Grégory Anodin, Bradley Vincent) 3:28.60, Bronze: Seychelles (Mathieu Bachmann, Fred Tyler, Hayden Ah-Wan, Dean Hoffman) 3:37.40
Women’s 50m freestyle: Gold: Felicity Passon (Seychelles) 26.21 seconds (Record), Silver: Lou Ditiere (Reunion) 26.61 seconds, Bronze: Manon Dijoux (Reunion) 27.10 seconds
Women’s 50m breaststroke: Gold: Alicia Kok Shun (Mauritius) 33.54 seconds, Silver: Tessa Ip Cheung (Mauritius) 34.04 seconds, Bronze: Amélie Bordes (Reunion) 35.86 seconds
Women’s 400m individual medley: Gold: Alizée Morel (Reunion) 5:04.81, Silver: Inès Gébert (Mauritius) 5:20.46, Bronze: Therese Soukup (Seychelles) 5:27.83
Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay: Gold: Reunion (Lou Ditiere, Manon Dijoux, Emma Morel, Alizée Morel) 3:54.47, Silver: Seychelles (Felicity Passon, Aaliyah Palestrini, Sofie Frichot, Therese Soukup) 4:01.79, Bronze: Mauritius (Emilie Nguyen, Elodie Poo Cheong, Alicia Kok Shun,Tessa Ip Cheung) 4:04.16
Roland Duval in Mauritius
