Athletics: cross-country series-Five sure of category wins, others to battle it out |10 February 2012

Although they can afford to skip the final round on Saturday February 18 at the Roche Caïman fitness trail, it is very unlikely they will as the prize-money is bigger – double what they got in the first and second rounds.

With two wins in the male under-16 2km (one lap) race, Azemia already has R300 (R150 for each win) and it is surely going to be a battle between him and Jiovanni Bouzin in the final race. The winner will get R300, runner-up R200 and third place finisher R100.

The same prize money is being offered to female runners in the under-16 2km race. Diane Belle and Shamera Esparon are locked on four points with a win apiece in the first two races and they have both won R150 already.

After breaking the 8km (four-lap) junior male record with a time of 28 minutes 48.1 seconds (28:48.1) to erase his previous course best of 29:27.4 set on January 21, 2011 from the record books, Keddy Moustache said he would attempt the longer 12km race.

If he doesn’t and sticks to the 8km and wins, he will go home with R800 on top of the R800 (R400 for each win) he has already won.

Unbeatable so far in the women’s senior 8km (four lap) race, Simone Zapha has two wins to her name for R1,000 and a third victory in the final round will earn her another R1,000.

Like Zapha, James Barra has already won the men’s senior category with two wins in the 12km (six lap) race for R1,000 and will pocket another R1,000 if he gets a third win on Saturday February 18.

Barra could well be challenged to the finish line if Keddy Moustache decides to switch from 8km to 12km for the final round.
In the women’s master category, Florise Ernesta needs a third win for a clean sweep in the 6km (three-lap) race. Having already pocketed R800 (R400 for each win), she will get R800 in the event of a third victory in the final round.

After missing the first female junior (under-20) 6km (three-lap) race, Dyniz Bristol ran unchallenged in the second clocking 44:05.9 and another win in the third race will earn her R800.

The toughest competition is in the female and male under-18 categories where runners cover 4km (two laps of the fitness trail) and the male veteran division with 8km (four laps) to run.

Winner of the first race and runner-up in the second, Samuel Moustache will go into the final round with six points – two more than Roch Bamboche who missed the first but sprinted to victory in the second.
Competition is tighter in the female under-18 category with Sheryl Lepathy and Vanessa Cherry locked on four points and a win apiece.

Sheryl Lepathy won the first race and finished fourth in the second, while Cherry missed the first but won the second.
Sheryl’s twin sister Estelle Lepathy, Stephanie Underwood and Elzra Almaze have two points each and can also challenge for the win in the final round.

The prize-money on offer in the final round is R500 (winners), R300 (runners-up) and R200 (third place finishers).
Third in race number one, Joseph Morel took victory in the second to lead the male veteran division with five points – one ahead of race number one winner Herbert Adrienne who missed the second.

The male veteran runners have to run a distance of 8km (four laps) and the final round winner will get R800, runner-up R600 and third place finisher R400.

Female and male competitors in the newly introduced colt category will also be rewarded with the winners getting R150, runners-up R100 and third place finishers R50.

All those who would like to take part in the final round of the series are asked to contact the Seychelles Athletics Federation (SAF) office on 4225958 during working hours.

G. G.