Boxer Keddy Agnes, swimmer Felicity Passon crowned a second time |02 March 2024
Keddy
Pugilist Keddy Agnes and swimmer Felicity Passon are the best male and female athletes for the year 2023, following the crowning ceremony held last night at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort & Casino.
For both athletes, it is the second time they lift the prestigious cup, with Agnes winning in 2018, while, until yesterday, Passon was still the reigning champion after winning it 2019 – the last time the award took place, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Both athletes received their cups from President Wavel Ramkalawan, in the presence of Cabinet Ministers, high-ranking government officers, families and friends.
Compiled by Roland Duval
Boxer Keddy Agnes – Sportsman of the Year
Crowned Sportsman of the Year 2018, heavyweight pugilist Keddy Agnes yesterday collected his second title, after convincing the selection committee that he has been the most outstanding male athlete for the year 2023.
Hard-hitter Agnes had quite a hectic schedule last year, competing mostly at continental level – at two major competitions – and also at the Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) in Madagascar.
At the 2023 AFBC Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships held in Cameroon from July 28 to August 5, his first fight in the elite men 92+kg was against S. Maroy of Ivory Coast in the quarterfinal where he won 4-3 on points, while in the semifinal he beat Algerian Mourad Kadi 5-0 to reach the final.
In the final against Zacharie Serge Mvogo Amougou of Cameroon, Agnes surrendered just after the first round to bring home the silver medal and a cash prize of US $10,000.
At the 2024 Olympics African Qualification Tournament in Dakar, Senegal, Agnes lost on points to Mourad Kadi of Algeria in the semifinal to bring home the bronze medal.
At the 11th IOIG, Agnes won a gold medal after only two minutes in the first round, defeating Didier Jean-Baptiste of Reunion by referee stopped contest (RSC).
Judoka Nantenaina Finesse – Runner-up
Praslinois judoka Nantenaina Finesse’s biggest exploit in 2023 was a gold medal in the men’s senior -90kg category at the 2023 Commonwealth Judo Championships held in South Africa.
In the final at the Feather Market Hall in Qgeberha, Port Elizabeth, Finesse won his bout by ippon over Kenneth Harris from Wales.
Locally, Finesse won the -90kg gold medal in all the competitions he took part in – Curtain-raiser, National Championships and Grand Anse Praslin Open.
Finesse was however unlucky to pick up an injury which prevented him from competing at the 11th Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) in Madagascar.
Swimmer Simon Bachman – Third place finisher
Based in France, swimmer Simon Bachmann, who gained Seychellois citizen through naturalisation, was mostly active at the 11th Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) in Madagascar where he won a total of 10 medals – three gold in 200m individual medley, 200m butterfly, and 400m individual medley; one silver in 200m freestyle; and six bronze in 100m butterfly, 400m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle relay, 4x100m medley relay, 4x100m mixed relay and 4x200m freestyle relay.
Judoka Dominic Dugasse – Fourth place finisher
Considered as a veteran of the sport, Praslinois judoka Dominic Dugasse’s biggest achievement was a silver medal at the 2023 Commonwealth Judo Championships held in South Africa.
In the final at the Feather Market Hall in Qgeberha, Port Elizabeth, Dugasse, who competes in the +100kg, lost to South African David Stockigt on points after a four-minute fight.
Locally, Dugasse won the +100kg gold medal at the Curtain-raiser tournament, while at the 11th Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) in Madagascar he could only manage a bronze medal after losing in the semifinal.
Dugasse was crowned Sportsman of the Year 2013
Karateka Richard Ah-Weng – Fifth place finisher
A member of the local Kyokushin Ryu Karate, Sempai Richard Ah-Weng came out fourth at the 1st World Kyokushin Ryu Karate Tournament held in the Philippines in November,
After winning a bye to the semifinals and was required to perform the mandatory Tamashiwari (board breaking) with Seiken (fist), Shuto (knife hand), Hiji (elbow) and Kakato (foot), Richard met M. Ibraghim, a strong Russian fighter and student of legendary Kyokushin fighter, Sensei Lechi Kurbanov.
He accidentally punched his opponent twice in the face which earned him a Genten (minus half point), costing him victory in the semifinal fight as his opponent ended up as the eventual winner in the category.
Sempai Richard then had to fight for the third and fourth place and his opponent was Eugene Yeo of Singapore.
He lost narrowly and ended up taking the 4th place which made history for the Kyokushin School.
Swimmer Felicity Passon – Sportsman of Year
After winning the title in 2019, Felicity Passon managed to retain her silverware in 2023, despite being absent on the local scene.
Like in 2019, her main achievements came at the Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) in Madagascar where she added 11 medals – one gold, eight silver and two bronze – to Seychelles’ tally.
Her gold medal came in the 200m individual medley, while her silver medals were in 200m freestyle,100m butterfly 4x100m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle, and 4x200m freestyle.
As for the two bronze medals they were won in the 100m backstroke and 4x100m mixed freestyle relay.
Passon also won a bronze medal in the 100m butterfly at theSPARC-PC in the United States.
Volleyballer Angelique Adeline – Runner-up
A member of the City Ladies Volleyball club, Angelique Adeline’s 2023 season was highlighted by a gold medal at the 11th Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) in Madagascar.
At club level, Adeline won all local competitions, including the Seychelles Volleyball Federation (SVF) Cup and the Open Competition.
At regional level, City Ladies finished fifth overall at the 27th Confédération Africaine de Volleyball (CAVB) Zone 7 Club Championship.
Volleyballer Maya Biong – Third place finisher
Setter and skipper of the women’s national selection, Maya Biong led Seychelles to their fourth consecutive gold medal win at the Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG)
The gold medal was Biong’s third after also winning in 2011 and 2019.
At club level, Biong and the Cascade Volleyball Club finished ninth overall at the 27th Confédération Africaine de Volleyball (CAVB) Zone 7 Club Championship.
Karateka Mastura Shah-Faure – Fourth place finisher
Black belt holder Mastura Shah-Faure, a member of the Northern Tang Soo Do Seychelles, registered success at the World Tang Soo Do Association (WTSDA) Region 14 Championship held in Maputo, Mozambique in 2023. She won two medals – a gold and a silver.
She was also awarded a plaque for the enhancement of the honour of Tang Soo Do, and the development of the WTSDA.
Athlete Natasha Chetty – Fifth place finisher
Based in the United States where she is on scholarship programme, Natasha Chetty was quite active in 2023 before picking up an injury.
At the Mountain West Championships in Nevada, she won a gold medal in high jump with a performance of 1.75m, before clinching another gold medal with the same performance at the Texas Tech Championships.
She also took part in the Don Kirby Elite Invitation, in New Mexico where she finished eighth overall with a performance of 1.72m.
Still nursing the injury, Chetty is now focusing more on sprint events and she clocked 7.88 seconds in her first attempt at indoor 60m last year.
Ever since taking up sprints, Chetty has been showing great improvements in terms of her time.
