Ah-Wan (first left) and Etienne on attempt for ticket to Athens

Accompanied by Chinese coach Luo, the foursome left the country on Wednesday February 25,  to participate in the annual tournament scheduled to run from February 27 to 29.

The competition in South Africa also serves as Olympic qualifier and the four young and enthusiastic players hope to do their very best to gain maximum points to improve their world rankings.

The fact that Seychellois players did not participate in Olympic qualifiers last year as all attention was on the Sixth Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) in Mauritius, it is very difficult for them to qualify directly for the XXVIII edition of the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

Their only chance of making it to the biggest multi-sports competition is by qualifying through wild cards.

Again for their wild card application to be granted, the players, who are likely to meet some of the world's best players who have also not qualified for the Games, need to give very good performances in the Olympic qualifiers they participate in to earn as many points as possible.

In South Africa, Cupidon, Malcouzane, Ah-Wan and Etienne, who are expected back home on March 1, will participate in the individual event comprising ladies' and men's singles, ladies' and men's doubles and mixed doubles.

Cupidon

It is to note that Catherina Paulin won the silver medal of the ladies' singles of the 2002 edition of the same competition after losing 0-3 (1-7 5-7 1-7) to South African number one Michelle Edwards in the final.

To reach the women's singles final of the prestigious South Africa International Open competition played at the Nutting Hall in East London, Paulin, who played in the bottom half of the draw, beat South African Marika Daubern 3-1 (2-7 7-0 7-3 7-1).

In the quarterfinals, she met another South African, Chantel Beaurain, winning 3-0 (7-4 7-2 7-0) and then faced a real test in the semifinal against Mauritian Sharma Aboobakar whom she beat 3-0 (7-1 7-5 7-1).

Apart from Paulin's silver medal, local players also returned home with two bronze medals in the doubles events in 2002.

 Malcouzane

 The duo of Paulin and Ah-Wan grabbed the bronze medal in the women's doubles, while the pair of Nicholas Jumaye and Cupidon won the men's doubles bronze medal.

In April, the same four players, who are to play in South Africa, will travel to Mauritius for two competitions, namely the Mauritius Open (April 15-18) and the All-Africa Senior Badminton Championship (April 19-25).

The Mauritius Open, it is worth noting, will also serve as Olympic qualifier.

It is to be remembered that in 2002, Ah-Wan was crowned women's singles champion of the All-Africa Senior Badminton Championship, held in Casablanca, Morocco.

The Sportslady of the Year 2000  beat Nigerian number one player Grace Daniel 3-0 (7-3 7-4 7-3) for the big prize.

C. J.