28th annual Inter-School Athletics Championship

Annual rendez-vous at Stad Linite next week

THE biggest athletics competition regrouping Seychellois youths every year – the Inter-School Athletics Championship – will be held at Stad Linite once again on Tuesday June 29 and more than one thousand schoolchildren from all over the country will be in action.

Students from all schools around Mahe, Praslin, La Digue and Silhouette will meet in the championship, the main event organised to mark the country's Independence Day on June 29.

Like always, the athletes, who will run in front of top government officials, parents and schoolmates, will not only show off their skills, but aim to win a medal of any hue in the different track and field events.

The event will get underway at 10 a.m. but in a bid to ensure the smooth running of the activities, the Physical Education/Extra Curricular Activities Unit in the Ministry of Education and Youth, is asking for the full cooperation of members of the public.

Those who want to attend the opening ceremony should be seated at least 30 minutes prior to the starting time whilst others who are thinking of turning up later should respect the space allocated to them and should avoid approaching the track.

Competitionwise, participants from secondary schools will compete in three different age groups – under 14, 16 and 18 – whilst those of primary schools will participate in the under 8, 10 and 12 categories.

Participants from post secondary institutions, including the Seychelles Polytechnic, Industrial Training Centre (ITC), Farmers Training Centre (FTC), National Institute of Education (NIE), Maritime Training Centre (MTC), College of the Arts (CoA), Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre (SHTTC) and National Institute of Health and Social Studies (NIHSS), will also feature in the championship.

Seven events – high jump, 1,500m and 4x400m relay for male and female participants as well as 800m for ladies – which were excluded from last year's programme because of a lack of participants, will feature on this year's schedule.

According to Wilfred Adrien, director of Extra Curricular and Physical Education, everything is expected to run smoothly on Tuesday.

"Like usual, we expect everything to go on smoothly. Athletes and officials are ready for the big event and are all looking forward for Tuesday to come. I wish that all athletes show the true spirit of Fair Play, sportsmanship and camaraderie whilst competing," he said.

Two athletes from Bel Ombre Primary School and two officials – Linda Jeanne and Edmond Bradburn – will take the oath on behalf of their colleagues before the start of the events.

It is to note that last year, Anse Aux Pins won the prize for the best overall primary school, stretching their number of wins to five in as many years.

Anse Boileau, who replaced Pointe Larue as the secondary category champions in 2001, retained the cup, while FTC was the new winner of the post secondary division reintroduced in 2001.

Former President France Albert Rene's cups for Fair Play were won by Anse Royale (competitors for primary and secondary levels), Anse Boileau (spectators for primary level), English River (spectators for secondary level) and National Institute of Education (competitors for post secondary level).

The cup for the best overall secondary school went to Anse Boileau with 250 points while FTC claimed victory in front of last year's winner ITC and MTC on 90 points in the under 20 category. 

The category winners were La Digue (boys U8), Anse Aux Pins (boys U10, girls U8 and U12), Baie Lazare (boys U12), Anse Boileau (girls U14, U16 and U18), English River (boys U14 and U16), Praslin Secondary (boys U18), FTC (girls U20) and Seychelles Polytechnic (boys U20).

C. J.