XX Commonwealth Games, Glasgow, July 23 – August 3 - Athletes return with pride |09 August 2014

Our athletes came back from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Wednesday morning with their heads held high, despite having no medals to show for their efforts.

The games that lasted eleven days got our athletes to compete against some of the best in the world and will surely have been great experience for those who were making their debut in the competition.

Seychelles was part of the Squash tournament for the first ever time in the Commonwealth Games, where Ridvan Prosper and Eva Alphonse went down in history as the first Seychellois to take on the Commonwealth Squash courts at the Scotstoun Sport Campus.

Out on the tracks at Hampden Park, there was another discipline being represent by Seychelles for the first time, that being the para-sports event. With the Paralympic Association of Seychelles (Pas) only recently setting off, participation in the Commonwealth Games was another big milestone as Jean-Paul Juliette and Andy Labrosse proudly represented our islands.

Two-time Commonwealth Games medal winner Janet Georges was also present at the games and even if she did not win any medals in weightlifting this time, she did manage to inspire a few of those watching, not only in Glasgow, but the world over.

Clementina Agricole must have been disappointed not to win a medal at the games, but she should not be disappointed with her performance as she only just missed out on a bronze medal, finishing only 3kg behind the bronze medal recipient Michaela Breeze of Wales.

Boxer Andrique Allisop also made a good impression at the games, as he won a lot of praise after winning his first bout. He then fell to defeat against Cobia Breedy of Trinidad & Tobago. Andrique arrived in Glasgow already having a reputation, as some of the locals told me: “You have a very good boxer in your country,” and “The young boxer from your country is one I will be looking out for.”

After his performances, he could have only enhanced his reputation even more.
Seychelles sent their biggest even delegation to attend the games as well as taking part in the highest number of disciplines it ever has, which was nine -- athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, judo, squash, swimming, table tennis and weightlifting.

Seychelles has taken part in the Commonwealth Games since 1990 and has never won the gold medal. The country’s first medal came in boxing, when Rival Payet won bronze in the 71kg category in Canada after missing his semifinal bout.

In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1998, boxers Gerry Legras (63.5kg) and Roland Raforme (91kg) won a silver medal each.
Athlete Celine Laporte won a bronze medal in the long jump and Janet Georges also won a bronze in weightlifting in 2006 in Melbourne, Australia.
Weightlifter Georges climbed a step higher in Delhi, India in 2010 by winning a silver medal.

The first Commonwealth Games were held in Hamilton, Canada in 1930, and were known as the ‘British Empire Games’. Since then the games have been organised every four years except for 1942 and 1946 on account of World War II. Often referred to as the ‘friendly games’, it is now considered the second biggest sporting carnival after the Olympic Games, and continue to attract top athletes.

Glasgow were amazing hosts of the games and provided some memorable moments for athletes, spectators, tourists and locals alike. They have now passed the hosting duties on to Australia’s Gold Coast, where the 2018 Commonwealth Games will take place.

Text and photos by Sedrick Nicette