More high-level training camps ahead for boxers and basketballers |18 October 2010

Mikhail Kalinin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Seychelles, said this on Friday late afternoon during a reception hosted at his Sans Soucis residence for a select group of people which included Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vincent Meriton, Information principal secretary Rene Morel, National Sports Council (NSC) chief executive Alain Volcère, Russian embassy and NSC officials, boxers, coaches and Seychelles Amateur Boxing Federation committee members.

Addressing the boxers who had recently followed a training camp at the Kurganovo Academy Centre, in Yekaterinburg city, in Russia, Mr Kalinin said that judging from reports he received from Igor Vozhagov, the honorary consul of Seychelles in Yekaterinburg city, the camp was “very successful”.

And he added: “We call young sportsmen Olympic hopes and I wish you all reach Olympic level and win medals when Seychelles hosts the Indian Ocean Island Games next year.”

Mr Kalinin revealed that professional head coach Dmitry Gaysin, with whom the Seychellois boxers trained while in Russia, will be here in December to conduct more training sessions.

Prior to the IOIG next year, more local boxers will get the chance to put the final touches to their preparation for the games by taking part in another training camp in Russia.

Mr Kalinin said that Russia will also help train the Seychelles basketball teams.

To conclude Mr Kalinin had a message for the boxers: “I wish you all every success in your career and training and please win as many medals as possible for Seychelles”.

Mr Meriton availed of the opportunity to thank Ambassador Kalinin for getting the boxing training camp off the ground and for the other démarches being undertaken to help other sports.

He also urged the boxers to earn the right, by winning gold medals at the IOIG next year, to return to Mr Kalinin’s residence perched up at Sans Soucis with a nice view of Victoria and surrounding areas.

Upon the team’s return from Yekaterinburg, coach Gerry Legras told Sports Nation that “the camp was one of the best, or probably the best, I’ve ever attended either as a boxer or a coach.”

Legras, who thanked the Russian embassy in Seychelles and the Seychelles government for organising such a fruitful camp, added: “Head coach Dmitry Gaysin and trainer Svetlana Gorbachenko really made our boys work hard. The boys trained three times daily for two weeks, and the two coaches worked on improving their physical and technical abilities.

“The place is quite isolated, making it an ideal location for training camps. It would thus be interesting for the local lads to benefit from another camp – for at least two months – at the same gym in the run-up to the Games.”

G. G.