XXX Olympic Games in London – July 27 to August 12-Six athletes make final cut |11 July 2012

Other than judoka Dominic Dugasse and boxer Andrique Allisop who have qualified for the multi-sports Games in London, England from July 27 to August 12, the four other athletes on the Seychelles team are Lissa Labiche, Jean-Yves Esparon, Aurelie Fanchette and Shane Mangroo.

Praslin judoka Dugasse was the first Seychellois athlete to qualify for this year’s Olympics through continental (African Judo Union) quota after amassing 30 points in the -100kg category.

Gold medallist at last year’s Indian Ocean Island Games on home soil with a win over Mauritian 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Bruno Julie, boxer Allisop edged out Kenyan Denis Okoth in the quarterfinal at the African Olympic qualification tournament in Casablanca, Morocco earlier this year to earn his ticket to the Olympics. He narrowly won the light weight bout 19-18 against Okoth before losing his semifinal fight on points – 8-16 – to Tunisian Ahmed Mejri to earn a bronze medal.

Allisop is in Cardiff, Wales where he is following an intensive training programme ahead of competing at the XXX Olympics Games.

Female high jumper Lissa Labiche has been invited by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) based on her performance at the recent 18th African Senior Athletics Championships, held in Porto-Novo, Benin where she cleared a height of 1.86m – a new Seychelles record – at the Charles de Gaulle stadium on June 30 to win the gold medal. She is in Barcelona, Spain taking part in the 14th IAAF World Junior Athletics Championships (July 10-15).

Sprinter Esparon was chosen by the Seychelles Athletics Federation (SAF) to compete in London after no local male athlete qualified for the Games or received IAAF invitation. On form Esparon beat Christopher Laurencine’s national junior 200m record with a new time of 21.75 seconds to be ranked 27th out of 50 competitors at the 18th African Senior Athletics Championships, held in Porto-Novo, Benin. Laurencine’s old mark of 21.95 seconds had been standing since August 18, 2007.

Swimmers Fanchette and Mangroo have been invited for the Games by the Fédération internationale de natation (Fina). While the former will swim the 200m freestyle, the latter will be involved in the 100m freestyle.

The coaches who will accompany the six athletes are Carlos Sanchez, Giovanni Fanny (athletics), Gerry Legras (boxing), Christian Velici (judo), Priscilla Kinloch and Barnsley Albert (swimming).

Mary Banane is the chef de mission, while Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (Socga) president Antonio Gopal and secretary general Alain Alcindor are the guests.

The delegation is expected to leave for London on Tuesday July 24 and the sending off ceremony has been slated for Friday July 20 at the International Conference Centre.

G. G.