Ninth All-Africa Games in Algiers-Weightlifting |20 July 2007
Competition for medals was rife between four of the eight lifters in this category and in the end of the day's work on the platform, Agricole took third place on the medals podium.
After snatching 73kg in her first attempt, Agricole asked for the bar to be loaded at 77kg and she successfully heaved the weight for a new Seychelles record. Determined to snatch a silver medal, Agricole asked for 80kg but she was unsuccessful this time.
In the clean-and-jerk, Agricole first lifted 95kg and then as the two-minute spell given to a lifter to execute the different movements in both snatch and clean-and-jerk was about to expire, she came running onto the platform to easily heave 97k
Already assured of another bronze medal, Agricole decided to challenge for the silver and asked for 101kg but she failed to lift the load.
With an Olympic total of 174kg, Agricole won a third bronze medal and at the end of the medals presentation ceremony which also saw the participation of Team Seychelles head of delegation, Eric Arnephie, she was all smiles.
"I'm happy because I won three bronze medals, but not totally satisfied with my performance. I wanted to get at least a silver medal as I usually lift 80kg in snatch and 103kg in clean-and-jerk in training. I'm also glad to have beaten Egyptian Fathia Abdelraman," said Agricole, who finished fourth overall in the lighter 53kg category in Abuja, Nigeria in 2003 with lifts of 60kg in snatch and 80kg in clean-and-jerk.
Nigerian Margaret Uwah won all three gold medals with an Olympic total of 197kg (90kg in snatch and 107kg in clean-and-jerk) while Tunisian Arbi Ahlen was a triple silver medallist with a total of 179kg (78kg in snatch and 101kg in clean-and-jerk).
Meanwhile, in the men's 77kg category, Charles Simeon knew before competing that winning a medal was a distant dream and the best he could achieve was fifth place overall out of 19 participants.
Simeon's total was 260kg (116kg in snatch and 150kg in clean-and-jerk).
Nigerian Felix Ekpo was a par above the rest of the field with three gold medals - snatch 152kg, clean-and-jerk 181kg and Olympic total 333kg.
Egyptian Ibrahim Abdelzaki totaled 328kg - 150kg in snatch and 178kg in clean-and-jerk - to win the three silver medals, while Libyan Ali Alkeli won the three bronze medals - 132kg in snatch and 162kg in clean-and -jerk - to finish third overall.