Athletics: Eco-Healing Seychelles Marathon-Jaffa, Labiche extend winning run |01 March 2010
Jaffa stopped the clock at 3 hours 37 minutes 31 seconds (3h37:31) for her second consecutive victory.
“I’m happy I won, but had I not run the 8km cross-country the day before, I would have performed much better,” Jaffa told Sports Nation.
Jaffa, 32, added that she has to continue working on her finishing because she feels weak in the late stages of the race.
Holder of the Seychelles women’s marathon record of 3h34:49 which she got during the Ekolomarathon in Tampon, Reunion in early July 2009, Jaffa cruised to victory in last year’s Eco-healing marathon in 3h30:19, but her time was not ratified as a new Seychelles record by the Seychelles Athletics Federation.
South African Rashika Rampersadh (3h53:29), Frenchwoman Anne Dussaux (4h00:35), Seychellois Juliette Hoareau who is based in England (4h41:07) and South African Marian East (4h55:57) finished second, third, fourth and fifth in yesterday’s race.
Men’s marathon winner Labiche was credited with a time of 2h44:09 for his third win in a row.
The former soldier stopped the clock at 2h37:38 last year after also winning the inaugural race in 2h41:25 in 2008
“I’m satisfied with my race although there was no one to challenge me to go faster. I’m still trying my best to beat Albert Marie’s record and I’m certain I will do it on a flat course,” said 39-year-old Labiche.
Marie’s record stands at 2h25:48 and he set it on October 23, 1988.
Jaffa and Labiche each won US $500, a week’s accommodation for two persons at the Sunset Beach Resort on half-board basis, a return ticket to any destination served by Air Seychelles, a medal, a trophy and a certificate.
New Zealander James Blair was second in 2h59:47, followed by three Seychellois – Michel Souris (third in 3h42:47), Michel Dixie (fourth in 3h49:30) and Roy Jean-Baptiste (fifth in 4h03:28).
From the starting point at Beau Vallon (Regatta site), the competitors aged 18 years and over who took part in the energy-sapping 42.195km marathon ran towards Mount Simpson (Bel Ombre) before returning to Beau Vallon to head to the Géant Casino via Glacis, Anse Etoile, English River, 5th June Avenue and Bois de Rose Avenue.
They then headed to the Clock Tower in Victoria via Bois de Rose Avenue and Francis Rachel Street. After going round the Clock Tower, they ran along Independence Avenue and 5th June Avenue, then via English River, Anse Etoile and Glacis on the way back to Beau Vallon.
Competitors also got to choose between running 10km and half-marathon (21km) while others took part in the 10km walk.
In the10km race male and female runners competed in three age categories – junior (12 to 20), senior (21 to 39) and master (40 years and above). They ran towards Mount Simpson (Bel Ombre) before returning to Beau Vallon to head to Glacis and made a U-turn some 1,500m after the Hilton Northolme Hotel to head back to Beau Vallon.
The cash prizes for all three categories were the same: R1,000 (winners), R600 (runners-up), R400 (third places), R300 (fourth places) and R200 (fifth places).
For the half-marathon, the competitors, aged 16 and above, headed to Mount Simpson (Bel Ombre), returned to Beau Vallon and ran towards Glacis to make a U-turn at Carana before heading back to the finish line at Beau Vallon.
The prizes in the female and male categories were as follows: R2,000, trophy, medal, certificate (winner); R1,500, trophy, medal, certificate (runner-up); R1,000, trophy, medal, certificate (third place); R700, medal, certificate (fourth place); and R500, medal, certificate (fifth place).
Community Development, Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Vincent Meriton, Education Minister Bernard Shamlaye, Youth, Sports and Culture principal secretary Denis Rose and National Sports Council chief executive Alain Volcère were among those who took part in the 10km race.
For the results of the top five male and female runners in the 10km and 21km races, see page 11.
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Results of the first five of the 10km and half-marathon races
Female 10km junior
1st Stephanie Underwood 49:33
2nd Natifa Philoé 51:22
3rd Isabelle Savy 53:24
4th Kelshia Octobre 54:14
5th Alisha Pothin 55:49
Female 10km senior
1st Wilna Iman 55:42
2nd Nathalie Picinni 55:56
3rd Marguerite Marie 58:59
4th Sandra Adonis 1h01:05
5th Mary-Lou Wirtz 1h04:18
Female 10km master
1st Vivienne Vadivello 52:51
2nd Jeanna Valentin 57 :16
3rd Veronica Antat 1h01:16
4th Fiona Powell 1h01:33
5th Florise Ernesta 1h04:06
Female 21km senior
1st Anna Barra 1h39:02
2nd Alexandra Kment 2h08:16
3rd Miranda Jeremie 2h16:41
4th Cornelia Mewes 2h19:37
5th Alison North 2h25:05
Male 10km junior
1st Keddy Moustache 39:00
2nd Randolph Prudence 39:05
3rd Marius Rabat 40:35
4th Randy Gappy 41:12
5th Andre Anacoura 42:41
Male 10km senior
1st Alrick Agricole 44:16
2nd Warren Desaubin 46:43
3rd Randolph Samson 46:49
4th Ron Morel 46:56
5th Thierry Billon-Galland 46:57
Male 10km master
1st Jose Victor 42:11
2nd Vincent Confait 47:31
3rd Egbert Cesar 52:33
4th Marc Ally 55:30
5th Charles Mondon 57:32
Male 21km senior
1st James Barra 1h27:24
2nd Joshua Gabriel 1h30:18
3rd Medrick Jean-Baptiste 1h32:16
4th Jeris Hollanda 1h35:09
5th Joseph Morel 1h36:23
G. G.