Competing in the 69-kg category, Thélermont,

 who was aiming to heave more barbells than her opponents in Abuja, Nigeria, during the ongoing Eighth All-Africa Games to become the first Seychellois athlete to win a medal of the gold hue in the continent's biggest multi-sports event, came short of her dream.

The 24-year-old went on to the platform of the National Centre for Women's Development in Abuja confident of doing what no other Seychellois had done before her but she left the venue with three silver medals in the snatch, clean and jerk and Olympic total.

The only other weightlifter to have won medals at these Games is Sophia Vandagne in 1999. She won a silver and two bronze in the 58-kg category.

The performances of reigning Sportslady of the Year Thélermont, triple gold medallist at the 15th African Weightlifting Championship in Kenya last year and at the recent Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) in Mauritius, have helped her to match Shrone Austin's brilliance in the pool.

Female swimmer Austin, 14, won her three silver medals in the 1,500-metre freestyle, 800-metre freestyle and 400-metre individual medley in Abuja's aquatic centre.

With the eighth edition of the Games coming to a close on Saturday, Seychelles, yet to win its first gold medal in six participations in the All-Africa Games, has now won seven silver medals and five of the bronze hue to occupy 17th position on the medals table being headed by hosts Nigeria.

Female javelin specialist Lindy Leveaux, who missed out on a bronze medal in the javelin event in her debut at these Games in Johannesburg in 1999, won silver on Monday at the Abuja National Stadium.

Former Sportslady of the Year Leveaux, whose silver medal was her first in two participations at these Games, was second to gold medallist Aida Sellam of Tunisia in the javelin throw contest.

Before Leveaux's achievement, only one track and field athlete – Paul Nioze – had won a silver for Seychelles at these Games in the triple jump event in 1991 in Egypt.

The other Seychellois to have won silver medals for Seychelles are former boxer Rival Cadeau (now Payet) in 1995 in Harare, Zimbabwe, and swimmer Benjamin Lo-Pinto in the 100-metre backstroke in 1999 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The country's five bronze medals in Abuja have been won by cyclist Hudson Mathieu in the individual time trial, swimmer Shrone Austin in the 400-metre freestyle, the mixed badminton team of Juliette Ah-Wan, Shirley Etienne, Georgie Cupidon and Nicholas Jumaye, the ladies' doubles pair of Ah-Wan and Etienne and Ah-Wan again in the ladies' singles.

Meanwhile in volleyball, the country's women's team needed a 3-0 win yesterday to harbour the hope of qualifying for the semifinals.

Two-time winners of the IOIG gold medal and captained by Jerina Bonne, Seychelles, who lost in straight sets 21-51, 25-27 24-26 to Cameroon in their first group A match, beat Ghana 3-0 on Tuesday.

After Tuesday's win, wing spiker Annie Dugasse told Radio France Internationale (RFI)  that victory had boosted the team's morale and that they were going all out for a win against Nigeria in the decisive match.

G. G.