African Youth Games 2018 - Triple bronze medallist Chakira Rose leads Team Seychelles home |31 July 2018

The 17 young athletes who represented the country at the recently-held African Youth Games in Algiers, Algeria returned yesterday, with weightlifter Chakira Rose wearing the country’s only medals.

Rose, who competed in the +63kg weight category, won three bronze medals after snatching 55kg and lifting 70kg in the clean & jerk for an Olympic total of 125kg, earning her third spot in the group.

Speaking to Sports NATION, Chakira said: “I am proud of my achievements.”

“I am happy with my results although I feel I could have challenged for the silver medal. But somehow, I passed out between lifts. This could be due to a drop in sugar level. I feel proud to be the only medallist for Seychelles at these Games and I was privileged to carry the country’s flag during the closing ceremony,” added the 17-year-old who has been practising weightlifting for less than two years.

A first year graphic design student at the Seychelles Institute of Art and Design (Siad), Chakira also told Sports NATION that she intends to stay in the sport as “I want to achieve big things”.

Coach William Dixie, who worked with Rose through her journey, said she could have done better, if it was not for certain factors that came into play during the competition.

“The Egyptian lifter was a very strong opponent, but I think Chakira could have done better,” said coach Dixie.

He added that various factors such as her not eating and only training twice before the actual day of the competition caused her to perform a bit less than expected.

“Overall I am proud that she was able to exit the competition with three medals, however I will expect much from her in future competitions,” added coach Dixie.

It was Egyptian Rania Azat who topped the group, winning  the three gold medals ‒ 92kg in snatch and 112kg in clean & jerk for an Olympic total of 204kg, ahead of   Hind Teurki of host country Algeria who was second  with three silver medals ‒ 60kg (snatch) and 75kg (clean & jerk) for an Olympic total of 135kg.

At the third Games, Seychelles also took part in athletics (Denzel Adam, Joshua Onezime, Clinth Stravens, Caleb Vadivelo, Jean-Pierre Barallon, Tessy Bristol), badminton (Jakim Renaud, Jie Luo), cycling (Rupert Oreddy), judo (Martin Michel), table tennis (Mario De Charmoy Lablache), triathlon (Luke Miller), swimming (Samuele Rossi, Aaliyah Palestrini, Stefano Palestrini) and sailing (Dominique Labrosse, Samantha Faure).

The African Youth Games are organised by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (Anoca) and are an international multi-sport event held every four years to complement the current All-Africa Games.

The first Games were hosted by Rabat, Morocco in 2010, while the second took place in Gaborone, Botswana's capital city in 2014.

Lesotho was officially confirmed as the host country for the fourth Games in 2022 after the Anoca confirmed the approval of its bid during the extraordinary general assembly held on July 17.

R. R.