Athletics Cup competition-Boniface raises her game |23 April 2007

This is because she was unhappy with how she jumped on the day. Despite that, the new record distance of 11.05 metres should be a consolation for this young promising jumper, getting her to understand that she has the potential and only needs to focus on what she has to do.

After fouling on her first and third attempts, Boniface, who did not look in good shape on Saturday, hopped, stepped and jumped over a new legal distance of 11.05 metres.

Double long jump silver medallist at the Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l’Océan indien (CJSOI) Games and the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (Anoca) Games held in Mauritius last year, Boniface’s previous triple jump best was 11 metres and she set it in April last year.

“I didn’t feel good when practising the triple jump the whole of the week (last week) and it reflected in my performance today (Saturday). I encountered problems especially in the step phase, but I managed to hop and jump quite well. Although I did not feel good on Saturday, I’m confident I can reach the 12m barrier in the near future,” the 15-year-old told Sports Nation.

It is worth noting that Boniface was among the record breakers on day two of the Patron’s Cup competition the weekend before. Her first jump in the long jump event was measured at 5.74 metres for a youth record.

Another interesting result in last weekend’s Athletics Cup was Yannick Ernesta’s 22.4-second performance in the 200m race. The River Star youth category sprinter was ranked first overall, beating even the seniors to meet the qualifying standard for the World Youth Championships in the Czech Republic in July.

While youngsters Boniface and Ernesta were making the headlines, former female long jump record holder Beryl Laramé used the competition to make her official comeback. The ex-Sportslady of the Year’s best jump was measured at 5.30m, 94 centimetres short of her previous record of 6.24m.

Competitors in the two-day meet were awarded points based on the 2007 International Association of Athletics Federations’ (IAAF) scoring tables.

Like last year, sprinter Joanna Houareau won the senior female category with 971 points after hitting the tape of the 100m sprint in a winning time of 12.1 seconds.
Two-time former Sportslady of the Year Lindy Leveau Agricole was ranked second with 911 points after a best throw of 52.68m in the javelin. Third place went to Bryna Anacoura with 850 points after clocking 27.0 seconds in the 200m.

Winner of the regional competition 400m gold medal during the Mauritius International Meet earlier this month, Fast Track’s Travis Hardy stopped the clock at 49.5 seconds in the one-lap race to earn 898 points and first place in the male senior category.

River Star’s Danny De Souza won the 100m race in 10.8 seconds for 862 points and the runner-up position overall in the senior class. Third place was occupied by another 400m runner, Stephen Musoodee with 832 points after clocking 50.7 seconds.

The other category winners were S. Underwood {female colt (U14) with 426 points, 100m in 16.2 seconds}, Alex Confait {boy (U16) with 453 points, 4.72m in the long jump}, Hanna Sanders {girl (U16) with 418 points, 3.30m in the long jump}, Natifa Larue {youth female (U18) with 903 points, 200m in 26.2 seconds}, Yannick Ernesta {male youth (U18) with 856 points, 200m in 22.4 seconds}, Wallace Brutus {male junior (U20) with 757 points, 200m in 23.2 seconds}and Sabrina Laurence {female junior (U20) with 876 points, 200m in 26.6 seconds}.

G. G.