10th All-Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique from September 3-18-Good results for a place on Seychelles team |08 February 2011
Badminton players Cupidon and Ah-Wan … and sailor Gertrude are Seychelles’ gold medallists at the All-Africa Games
Although the emphasis is on getting the local athletes to be ready for the IOIG – the Olympic Games of the region – slated for August 5-14 here, the efforts in training should also win them a place on the Seychelles team for the 10th All-Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique, from September 3-18.
Seven months away from the Games, the National Sports Council (NSC) has not decided on the number of sports Seychelles will take part in and the size of the team for the African sports festival.
Speaking to Sports Nation yesterday, NSC chief executive Alain Volcère said: “It’s not definite yet, but closer to Games time we will reveal the number of sports we will take part in and the size of the delegation we expect to take to Maputo.
“The main criterion to be used to decide on the team’s composition is results. The results obtained by athletes during the year will be a deciding factor.
“It’s not about compensating a sport that is not in the IOIG with an appearance in the All-Africa Games. This is not how we believe the selection process should be made. We will send to Maputo a team of sportsmen and women capable of winning medals for Seychelles.”
The deadline for countries to confirm their involvement in the Games is April 15.
Seychelles at the Games
Seychelles made its debut at the All-Africa Games in 1978 in Algeria and achieved its best results – two gold medals, by sailor Meggy Gertrude in the Laser 4.7 class and the badminton mixed doubles pair of Juliette Ah-Wan and Georgie Cupidon – 29 years later at the ninth Games in Algiers, Algeria in 2007.
Though Seychelles did not win medals on its first appearance in the Africa sports festival in Algiers in 1978, it started featuring on the medals table in 1987 in Nairobi, Kenya.
And since then, Seychellois athletes have been making progress in their performances until 2007 when they reaped the first gold medals to pin down, for the first time, a place among the top-20 countries on the final medals table.
Seychelles finished 17th with 11 medals – two gold, three silver and six bronze. The three silver medallists were javelin specialist Lindy Leveau-Agricole, weightlifter Janet Georges (formerly Thélermont) in the 69kg category, and Laser standard sailor Allan Julie.
The six bronze medals were won by weightlifter Janet Thélermont (one in the 69kg category), weightlifter Clementina Agricole (three bronze in the 58kg category), the badminton team made up of Cynthia Course, Juliette Ah-Wan, Catherina Paulin, Nicholas Jumaye, Steve Malcouzane and Georgie Cupidon (one bronze) and badminton player Catherina Paulin (one bronze in the ladies’ singles).
Although Seychelles set a record with its first gold medals in Algiers in 2007, the country’s highest medal haul at the All-Africa Games is 16. That was in Abuja, Nigeria, in 2003 with 10 silver and six bronze.
In 1999, Seychelles got only two silver medals, in swimming and weightlifting, as well as six bronze at the Johannesburg Games.
In the Harare Games in 1995, Seychelles collected two medals – a silver and a bronze – in boxing.
The Cairo Games in 1991 brought three medals – a silver and two bronze – while in 1987, the country managed two medals – both bronze.
The Maputo Games
This is only the third time the Games is being held in the southern part of the continent 
Lusaka, Zambia, was initially granted the right in April 2005 to host the 10th All-Africa Games, but it withdrew its offer due to lack of funds.
Organised every four years by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (Anoca), the multi-sports event is reserved exclusively for athletes on the African continent.
The first Games took place in 1965 in Brazzaville, Congo, and have official recognition from the International Olympic Committee.
This year’s Games will include 24 sports disciplines: athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, canoeing, chess, cycling, football, gymnastics, handball, judo, karate, netball, rowing, sailing, shooting, sports for disabled (swimming and athletics), swimming, table tennis, tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, volleyball indoor and beach volleyball, and weightlifting.
At least 20,000 athletes and officials are expected to take part in the Games and the organising committee (Coja) is building a Games Village totalling 848 apartments. The village will comprise 106 buildings, two Olympic swimming pools and tennis courts on an area of 17 hectares in Zimpeto.
Seychellois medallists at the All-Africa Games
Fourth All-Africa Games in Nairobi, Kenya in 1987
- Boxer Rival Cadeau (now Payet), bronze medallist
- Boxer Roland Raforme, bronze medallist
Fifth All-Africa Games in Cairo, Egypt in 1991
- Triple jumper Paul Nioze, silver medallist
- Boxer Roland Raforme, bronze medallist
- Boxer Robert Jean, bronze medallist
Sixth All-Africa Games in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1995
- Boxer Rival Cadeau (now Payet), silver medallist
- Boxer Roland Raforme, bronze medallist
Seventh All-Africa Games in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1998
- Weightlifter Sophia Vandagne (one silver and two bronze) in the 58-kg category
- Swimmer Benjamin Lo-Pinto, (one silver in the 100m backstroke and two bronze in the 200m backstroke and 4x200m freestyle relay)
- Kenny Roberts (three bronze in the 200m individual medley, 400m individual medley and 4x200m freestyle relay)
- Jean-Paul Adam (a bronze in the 4x200m freestyle relay)
- Barnsley Albert (a bronze in the 4x200m freestyle relay)
Eighth All-Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria in 2003
- Swimmer Shrone Austin (three-time silver medallist in 1,500m freestyle, 800m freestyle and 400m individual medley; and bronze medallist in 400m freestyle)
- Weightlifter Janet Thélermont (three-time silver medallist in the 69-kg division)
- High jumper Jude Sidonie (silver medalist)
- Javelin thrower Lindy Leveau-Agricole (silver medallist)
- Weightlifter Richard Scheer (silver medallist and bronze medallist in the -85-kg division)
- Weightlifter Steven Baccus (silver medallist in the -94-kg division)
- Cyclist Hudson Mathieu (bronze medallist in the individual time-trial)
- Badminton team of Juliette Ah-Wan, Shirley Etienne, Georgie Cupidon and Nicholas Jumaye (bronze medallist)
- Badminton ladies’ doubles pair of Juliette Ah-Wan and Shirley Etienne (bronze medallist)
- Badminton ladies’ singles Juliette Ah-Wan (bronze medallist)
Ninth All-Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria in 2007
- Sailor Meggy Gertrude in the Laser 4.7 class (gold medal)
- Badminton mixed doubles pair of Juliette Ah-Wan and Georgie Cupidon (gold medal)
- Javelin specialist Lindy Leveau-Agricole (silver medal)
- Weightlifter Janet Georges (formerly Thélermont) in the 69kg category (a silver and a bronze medals)
- Laser standard sailor Allan Julie (silver medal)
- Weightlifter Clementina Agricole (three bronze in the 58kg category),
- Badminton team of Cynthia Course, Juliette Ah-Wan, Catherina Paulin, Nicholas Jumaye, Steve
- Malcouzane and Georgie Cupidon (one bronze)
- Badminton player Catherina Paulin (one bronze in the ladies’ singles)
G. G.