Reward ceremony for-High performance athletes should be role models, says minister Meriton |07 November 2011

He was addressing members of the weightlifting team who took part in the Commonwealth Youth, Junior and Senior Championship and African Senior Championship in Cape Town, South Africa recently, as well as members of the Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG) football gold medal-winning team.

The ceremony, which took place National Sports Council (NSC) conference room lobby at the Stad Linite, was attended by youth and sports principal secretary Denis Rose, chief executive of the NSC Alain Volcère, Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) chairman Suketu Patel, the Seychelles Weightlifting Association president Robert Rose, Seychelles Volleyball Federation chairman Jude Florentine, coaches and athletes.

Other than the lifters and footballers, the women’s and men’s IOIG volleyball gold medal-winning teams as well as the boxing team were supposed to attend the event, but only three volleyballers turned up.

Mr Meriton said winning the gold medal in four out five collective sports is an exploit which will be a big and difficult challenge to repeat. He congratulated the athletes for staying focused and making use of all the available resources. He also reminded them that even though the Major Games are over, sports should remain an on-going vocation.

For his part, SFF boss Patel said the result proves the worth of the investments in the players. He also reminded them that the gold medals come with responsibilities and that they should act as role models.
Mr Patel also thanked all those who contributed in the success of the football team.

The weightlifters who were rewarded on Saturday are: Sirous Farabeau (three silver medallists in the African senior championship – Olympic total of 187kg with 82kg in snatch and 105kg in clean & jerk in the 85kg category and a silver in the Commonwealth youth championship), Charles Siméon (Olympic total of 225kg for a silver, 110kg in snatch for bronze and 145kg in clean & jerk for silver in the 77kg category), Rena Agricole (three bronze medals in the African senior championship – Olympic total of 125kg with 60kg in snatch and 65kg in clean & jerk in the 63kg division and a silver medal in the Commonwealth youth championship), Ruby Malvina (three silver in the African senior championship with 163kg after snatching 70kg and lifting 93kg in the clean & jerk of the 58kg category), Rick Confiance (three silver in the senior 56kg category of the African senior championship after snatching 75kg and getting 90kg in the clean & jerk for an Olympic total of 165kg), Katsia Télémaque (three silver in the 48kg category of the African senior championship after snatching 65kg and finishing with 79kg in the clean & jerk for a 144kg total giving her a bronze medal in the senior Commonwealth Championship),  Ian Rose (three bronze medals in the 69kg category of the African senior championship after snatching 105kg and lifting 130kg in the clean & jerk event for a total of 235kg), Janet Georges (three gold in the African senior championship’s 69kg with an Olympic total of 206kg after snatching 96kg and clean & jerk 110kg to also win the Commonwealth senior championship silver medal) and Elvis Jeanne (three gold medals in the African senior championship and a silver in the Commonwealth senior championship, after snatching 127kg and clean & jerked 159kg for an Olympic total of 277kg in the 105kg category).

There were also rewards for coaches McDonald Henriette and William Dixie, as well as medical officer Rene Youpa from an anonymous sponsor.

For their part, the footballers received a souvenir jersey with their names on and a framed poster of the winning team signed by all the players. There were also rewards for team’s technical members.

R. D.