Athletics: Inter-school cross-country races-Moustache gets record as Plaisance win best school cup |05 April 2010

Moustache stopped the clock in 6 minutes 30.5 seconds (6:30.5) in Thursday’s second race – the boy’s under-16 one-lap (2km) – to erase from the record books the old mark of 6:39.7 belonging to Belonie School’s Ryan Govinden, who was placed fifth in 6:42.7.

“I’m happy. I wanted the record and I worked hard for it. I could have run even faster,” 14-year-old Moustache told Sports Nation.

Runner-up Wilven Sophola (6:31:5) of Pointe Larue and third place finisher Kelvin Harryba (6:37.26) of Anse Royale also dipped under the old best in a fast race contested by 42 runners.

The girls’ under-16 2km race was won by Belonie School’s Stephanie Underwood in 7:38.0 followed in second and third places by Plaisance’s Ezra Almaze (7:39.2) and Vanessa Cherry (7:46.9).

A total of 49 girls took part in the race, but not record holder Victoria Alis whose best time over the distance is 7:26.4 clocked on January 31, 2009.

Audrey Fanny of Plaisance was first to cross the finish line of the girls’ under-18 two-lap (4km) race in 17:23.1, more than one minute slower than Phylis Labonne’s four-year-old record of 15:35.2 set on February 16, 2006.

La Digue’s Hansa Mahoune (17:37.6) and Plaisance’s Tania Jérémie (18:13.9) were ranked second and third out of the 43 who completed the distance. Another four did not make it to the finishing line.

Plaisance runners dominated the boys’ under-18 4km race, taking the first four places in the 46-runner field.
Joshua Adeline won in front of 45 opponents in 14:02.2 to finish outside Keddy Moustache’s record of 13:49.0 set on January 31, 2009.

Adeline was followed in second place by Marcus Cedras (14:03.2) and in third position by Darrel Clarisse (14:08.28).
In the overall ranking, Plaisance was ranked first with 54 points to win the floating cup. Pointe Larue was the runner-up with 31 and Belonie finished third with 30.

Runners from Anse Boileau, Anse Royale, Beau Vallon, Belonie, English River, La Digue, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe Larue and Praslin took part in the races.

Medals were given to the top three in all age categories.
Organised by the Seychelles Athletics Federation (SAF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MoE), the cross-country races also form part of activities to celebrate World Health Day which falls on April 7.

G. G.