YOUNG Seychellois 400-metre runner Evans Marie was way off his personal best and Seychelles junior record of 48.42 seconds in the heat of the first round one-lap race of the XVII Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England.

Running in heat number five at the centre-piece 38,000-seater City of Manchester Stadium, Marie, who had been regular below the 49-second mark in races this year including the one at the recent IAAF Coca-Cola World Youth Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, clocked 49.01 seconds to take fifth place on Friday July 26 afternoon.

Even though he failed to progress to last night's second round, Marie, who was making his debut at the quadrennial Games, finished ahead of Jeffrey Bai (50.45 seconds) of Papua New Guinea in his heat and another five runners.

Englishman Daniel Caines won Marie's heat in 47.37 seconds.

Only the first four runners in the seven heats and the four fastest losers went through to last night's second round.

The fastest qualifier of the first round was Avard Moncur of the Bahamas with 45.72 seconds, while Lupo Kumitau (Niue Islands) was the slowest runner on the first day of competition with 59.38 seconds.

A total of 44 runners took part in the first round and five of them were disqualified.

Out of the 32 second round qualifiers, there were two Mauritians – Fernando Augustin (48.12 seconds) and Eric Milazar (47.31 seconds).

By the time of going to press, Sports Nation had not received the results of the other Seychellois athletes.

Meanwhile, during the course of the weekend, several of the 18 Seychellois athletes at the Games will be action.

In badminton, the foursome of Juliette Ah-Wan, Catherina Paulin, Nicholas Jumaye and Georgie Cupidon will continue their campaign in the mixed team competition which started yesterday at the  Bolton Arena.

It is to be noted that Seychelles has been drawn together with New Zealand, India, Mozambique and Northern Ireland in group D.

Teams have been divided into four groups and only the pool winners will progress to the senifinals of the mixed team competition which comprises five matches – one men's singles, one women's singles, one men's doubles, one women's doubles and one mixed doubles.

At the Wythenshawe Forum Centre, lightweight (60-kg) boxer Jean-Paul Mellie is to throw his first punch in the boxing competition on Saturday July 27 afternoon.

High jumper Eugène Ernesta, whose national record stands at 2.20 metres, will be involved in either the pool A and pool B qualifiers on Sunday July 28 afternoon at the City of Manchester Stadium.