Cycling champ and official Philip Jean-Baptiste leaves behind amazing memories |28 May 2021

Mr Jean-Baptiste on his last officiating duty ‒ the individual time trial on August 18, 2011 at the IOIG in Seychelles

Many may not know that he was a great champion in his youth days back in Kenya. Philip Jean-Baptiste is the second born of a family of four children ‒ Robert, Philip, Antonio and Violette ‒ from parents Elfreda and Antoine Jean-Baptiste.

Born in Mombasa, Kenya on November 19, 1942, God graced him an interesting life of 78 years to accomplish great moments which will be kept as souvenirs for generations to come.

Mr Jean-Baptiste was a discreet and cool person with a very strong character for the sport of cycling and whenever he could whiff winning he would strengthen his effort and positively face any challenge to cross the finishing line as the winner. People in Kenya and some Seychellois-Kenya born could recall one of the top ever organised races in the 1960s in Kenya which was a three-day three-stage race challenge from Mombasa to Nairobi, covering over 330 miles. Philip won all three races to become not only the Kenyan champion but also the East African champion.

Mr Jean-Baptiste was a very strong cyclist and had a massive load of endurance by showing his strength during the races with solo breakaways and the best part was, as he was crossing the finish line in Nairobi the spectators could welcome him in the capital with a beautiful image of his two previous winning prizes which were bicycles locked upon his technical car and in the final race he won another bicycle. It was the talk of the city of Nairobi and everybody was talking about Philip as a true champion.

Mr Jean-Baptiste moved to Seychelles in 1970 and got married in 1971 to Mariam Faure. Because of his love for cycling he got involved in cycling activities locally. In 1987, he was elected as an executive member of the first Seychelles Cycling Association (SCF) with Lucas Georges as chairman.

Mr Jean-Baptiste served on the committee as a member until the year 2006. During his time as an executive member he also served as treasurer and during competition he was an official playing the role of commissar. On May 6, 1999 Philip received his pass certificate as a cycling time keeper and decided to take the role of time keeping during local competitions. He was also part of the mechanical sub-committee where he attended many overseas events with the national team. He was the team’s mechanic in Reunion, Mauritius, Madagascar and Zimbabwe.

Mr Jean-Baptiste, who was an aviation mechanic by profession and was later employed by MEC Retreading / Peugeot Company for a very long time, would mostly ride his bicycle to and from work every day and he would pedal as strong as a youngster, fit and strong and everybody could notice his heavy strong legs.

He returned from retirement to officiate and take part as time-keeper during the three classical races (team time trial, road race and individual time trial) during the 2011 Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) which were held in Seychelles.

As it is written and spoken, there is a time for everything in life that no one can escape and that is the calling to the other life. And it was a heartbroken moment for the family to announce the passing of Philip on Thursday March 11, 2021. He leaves behind his wife Mariam, son Stephen, daughter Valerie and three grandchildren.

He will always be remembered as a tranquil, self-controlled and positive fortitude but humble person with immense patience. His family was his loving and precious treasure.

The cycling family holds great souvenirs of him and conveys the deepest sympathy and condolences to the Faure and Jean-Baptiste families.

Mr Jean-Baptiste may have passed away but his memories will live for good in the cycling archives just like those left behind by his younger brother Anthony Jean-Baptiste who was the SCA chairman for 12 years, serving six two-year mandates from 1994 to 2006. He was also the managing director of Lafarge Cement (Seychelles).

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