|
THE Eighth All-Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria,
comes to an end on Saturday October 18, after 14 days of fierce
competition.
Seychelles has until now registered, without doubt,
its best results at these Games as local weightlifters drew the curtain
on the competition for the local delegation on Friday October 17, with
two medals.
On Friday on the platform of the National Centre
for Women's Development, Richard Scheer, who was making his second
outing for Seychelles after having represented the country for the first
time in the recent Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) in Mauritius where
he won three gold medals in the 85-kg category, settled for two medals –
a silver and a bronze.
At the time of going to press, both Elvis Jeanne
and Steven Baccus were in action.
Seychelles, who participated in eight of the 23
sporting disciplines in Abuja, had accumulated an unprecedented 15
medals – nine silver and six bronze – on the eve of the closing
ceremonyon Saturday.
The highest total of eight medals – two silver and
six bronze – was registered during the seventh edition of the
quadrennial Games in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1999.
The other Seychellois to win silver medals so far
in Abuja in the continent's biggest multi-sports event are female
weightlifter Janet Thélermont (three in the snatch, clean and jerk as
well as Olympic total of the 69-kg category) on the platform of the
National Centre for Women's Development, female swimmer Austin (three in
the 1,500-metre freestyle, 800-metre freestyle and 400-metre individual
medley) in the aquatic centre, female javelin thrower Lindy Leveaux and
male high jumper Jude Sidonie inside the Abuja National Stadium.
The country's six bronze medals 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, weightlifter Richard Scheer in the 85-kg category.
It is to note that Seychelles has never won a medal
of the gold hue at the All-Africa Games in six participations.
The nine silver medals won in Abuja is higher than
the total of four Seychelles had claimed in three past editions of the
All-Africa games.
The first local athlete to win a silver medal at
these Games was former triple jumper Paul Nioze in 1991 in Egypt.
Ex-boxer Rival Cadeau (now Payet) repeated the feat in 1995 in Harare,
Zimbabwe.
In Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1999, female
weightlifter Sophia Vandagne, who competed in the 58-kg category, became
the first Seychellois lady to win a medal of the silver hue at the
All-Africa Games. She also won two bronze medals.
That same year, swimmer Benjamin Lo-Pinto took a
silver in the 100-metre backstroke. Like Vandagne, Lo-Pinto also won two
bronze medals.
G. G. |
