Sports Awards of the Year 2007-Female finalists speak out |24 January 2008
The interviews are in alphabetical order of the sporting disciplines being represented in the final.
Lindy Leveau-Agricole – athletics
Boasting a personal best and Seychelles record of 57.86m, the 56.49m distance was the best achieved outside Seychelles by Leveau-Agricole.
Chosen as the best female athlete seven times – in 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2007 - Leveau-Agricole also won the javelin throw gold medal at the Seventh Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) in Madagascar with a distance of 54.04m. She took the discus silver medal with 43.34m and the shot putt bronze medal with 13.12 in Madagascar.
Leveau-Agricole, who trained in France and competed in five meetings, was first in the javelin throw events of the Meeting International de Maurice, Southern Africa Regional Permit Meet in Gaborone, Botswana, and the Southern Region Meet in Namibia
“I believe I stand a very good chance of winning the Sportslady of the Year title, judging from the results I achieved in 2007. Although I didn’t win a gold medal at the All-Africa Games, my result was very good and I also qualified for the Olympic Games,” said 29-year-old Leveau-Agricole who was runner-up to Sportslady of the Year 1998 Yvonne Legaie and was fifth in 2002.
Juliette Ah-Wan – badminton
The country’s female number one player for many years now, Ah-Wan had for teammates Cynthia Course, Georgie Cupidon, Catherina Paulin, Nicholas Jumaye, Steve Malcouzane in the team event in Algiers, winning the bronze medal.
At the African Senior Badminton Championship in Mauritius, Ah-Wan was also a gold medallist with Cupidon in the mixed doubles event and played an important role in landing the Seychelles team, who also comprised Georgie Cupidon, Cynthia Course, Catherina Paulin, Shirley Etienne, Nicholas Jumaye and Steve Malcouzane, the team event gold medal.
In the ladies’ doubles of the African Senior Badminton Championship, Ah-Wan paired with Catherina Paulin to win the bronze medal.
In the Mauritius Open, Ah-Wan again had for partner Georgie Cupidon and they lost the mixed doubles final to win the silver medal.
The 26-year-old, who won the young female athlete of the year title three times (1997, 1998 and 1999), was runner-up to Sportsladies of the Year Sophia Vandagne in 1999 and Janet Thélermont in 2002, finished third in 2006 and was fourth overall in 2003 and 2004.
“I believe I stand a good chance of finishing among the top two. I had a good 2007 and I made a lot of sacrifices to reach this far,” said Ah-Wan who failed to win a place in the top five in 2001 and 2005.
Catherina Paulin - badminton
BRONZE medallist of the team event and ladies’ singles at the Ninth All-Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria, Catherina Paulin joined forces with Juliette Ah-Wan, Georgie Cupidon, Cynthia Course, Shirley Etienne, Nicholas Jumaye and Steve Malcouzane to win the team event gold medal at the African Senior Badminton Championship in Mauritius. She had Ah-Wan for partner in the ladies’ doubles of the African Senior Badminton Championship, winning the bronze medal.
Paulin, 22, said that “competition is tight among the female finalists and I don’t know what to expect.”
Meggy Gertrude – sailing
Meggy Gertrude became the first Seychellois athlete to win a gold medal at the All-Africa Games and that came in Algiers, Algeria, during the ninth edition of the Games in 2007.
The 17-year-old Laser sailor also dominated both male and female opponents to capture first place in the SYA Laser National Championship. She was third out of five participants in the SYA Laser Cup B and was placed seventh and last in the SYA Laser Cup A.
“I don’t know if I’m going to win the title, but I would like to win it. The top candidates for the title are Juliette (Ah-Wan) and me.”
Shrone Austin - swimming
The first Seychellois athlete to win the most gold medals in any edition of the IOIG, the 18-year-old also won a silver medal (100m breaststroke) and two bronze (100m butterfly and 4x200m freestyle relay).
Other than the IOIG, Sportslady of the Year 2003 Shrone Austin also participated in the 12th Fina World Swimming Championship in Melbourne, Australia, and the Sasol National Winter Championships in South Africa, winning 11 medals - four gold, six silver and one bronze.
Sportslady of the Year 2003, Austin was fourth overall in 2002 and 2006, fifth in 2005 and out of the top-five in 2004. The 18-year-old has also won the Young Female Athlete of the Year title three times (in 2002, 2003 and 2005).
Commenting on her chances of winning the Sportslady of the Year 2007 title, Austin said:
“I’m not pinning my hopes on winning the Sportslady of the Year title as 2007 was a great year for Seychellois sportswomen. I missed the All-Africa Games and it kind of got my results down. I’m not even banking on a top-five finish.”
Anniessa Benstrong – table tennis
“I have no chance of winning the title,” said the 16-year-old, who also made a clean sweep of the titles on offer in 2007, winning the League championship, Mohan Shopping Centre-sponsored Knockout Tournament, Curtain-raiser Tournament and Monthly Challenge.
Janice Mellie – table tennis
Locally, Mellie was second-best to Benstrong and she said that “I don’t see myself winning anything. Seychellois sportswomen performed well in 2007, especially in the All-Africa Games.”
Marielle Bonne – volleyball
SHE was voted best attacker at the 2006 edition of the Indian Ocean Club Championship 
On the local scene, the 16-year-old towered over more experienced players to help Arsu win the League championship, Seychelles Volleyball Federation (SVF) Shield, SVF Cup, and Land Marine Division One Cup.
Before leaving for France where she is on trial with two top clubs – Cannes and Cannet – Marielle Bonne said that “it’s going to be tough to say who is going to win. But I’m happy to have made the 10 finalists. I’ll let the judges do their job.”
Janet Thélermont - weightlifting
AFTER winning the only local competition – National Open Championship – organised in 2007 
The 28-year-old policewoman, whose three Sportslady of the Year title wins have come at two-year intervals – in 2002, 2004 and 2006 – also participated in the Seventh IOIG in Madagascar and won three gold medals – 80kg in snatch, 100k in clean-and-jerk and Olympic total of 180kg - in the 75kg division.
Fifth overall in 2000, fourth in 2001 and runner-up to Shrone Austin in 2003 and to Lindy Leveau-Agricole in 2005, Thélermont was not available for comments as she is out of the country.
Clementina Agricole – weightlifting
At the Seventh IOIG in Madagascar, she won three silver medals in the same weight category.
The 19-year-old said that “the title will go to either Juliette (Ah-Wan) or Meggy (Gertrude). I see Janet (Thélermont) finishing third and Lindy (Leveau-Agricole) fourth. I see myself finishing fifth.”
Compiled by G. G.