Interview with Young Female Athlete of the Year Felicity Passon |05 February 2016

for this year is to try and qualify for Rio (Olympic Games), but at the same time to keep up with my studies. During the summer I will try to focus for the African Senior Swimming Championships in September.

 Sports Nation: How did competitive swimming start for you?

 Passon: I started swimming competitively at‘If you really want something, you should never let anything get in your way’

 It’s not an easy feat to win any piece of silverware twice. So, to be named Young Female Athlete of the Year for a second consecutive year is surely a big achievement for 16-year-old swimmer Felicity Passon who has taken the sport by storm since she splashed onto the scene.

Passon was not present at the Sports Awards crowning ceremony last Friday to receive her trophy and we at Sports Nation decided to take on the challenge to get in contact with her for an interview and succeeded with the help of her mother.

After sending all our questions to her, Passon sent us her written answers which we would like to share with our readers.

 Sports Nation: What does winning the Young Female Athlete of the Year title represent to you?

 Passon: I think it represents all the hard work I put in last year. I did not take a break since the start of 2015 until December of that year. It makes all the sacrifices worth it in the end. Not just the ones I make, but the ones my family make as well. The work and effort they put in to help me achieve my goals is unbelievable. And I will eternally be grateful.

 Sports Nation: It's now the second year in a row that you manage this feat. How does this one compare to the first?

 Passon: I am beyond happy that I was able to maintain my title, but the first time was definitely more surprising. This year I was quite confident I would be able to win it again as I knew that I deserved it.

 Sports Nation: Are you confident you can win it a third successive year to become only the second person to do so after Juliette Ah-wan did it from 1997-1999?

 Passon: I think it is an achievable goal. With 2016 being an Olympic year, I will have to stay focused, even for the rest of the year after the Olympics if I make it. I’m sure there will be other athletes working hard, and I wish them the best of luck for 2016.

 Sports Nation: What do you think of your performances in 2015?

 Passon: I think I had a good year, but an especially amazing summer! Flying from home to Africa to Russia, to Reunion, back home, then to Singapore and finally Samoa. Throughout all these competitions I managed to continuously break national records. I managed to win medals at the Indian Ocean Island Games. So I am very pleased with my performance.

 Sports Nation: What is your aim for 2016?

 Passon: My aim about 12 turning 13 years old.

 Sports Nation: Are there any other sports you were interested in?

 Passon: Yes there were. My family and I have always been very sporty. I was always doing several sports at the same time. I was running, playing tennis, swimming and always doing after school activities. After having played a tennis tournament one day, I injured my shoulder. And it was then that I realised I had to choose one. And I chose swimming. I love it, I love being in the water, I love the adrenaline I feel when I race.

 Sports Nation: Who has been your main source of inspiration since you began this sport?

 Passon: I think Alia Atkinson has recently inspired me as she comes from a small nation (Jamaica) who isn’t very strong in swimming.

 Sports Nation: With so many young swimmers coming through nowadays, what more do you think needs to be done to further aid the development of the sport locally?

 Passon: I think they need to be further encouraged to want to aim higher and be more dedicated to the sport. Swimming is a sport that requires a lot of hours to just improve by a few milli-seconds at each competition. But it’s all worth it in the end.

 Sports Nation: What are some the main sacrifices you have faced when practicing swimming at such a level?

 Passon: The biggest sacrifice is having left my family, friends, and my dogs behind so I can pursue my dream by training in England with a great team. So far my school work has been good, but I know that it is not to my best potential due to the lack of time I have.

 Sports Nation: Do you have any advice for other young female athletes in Seychelles?

 Passon: My advice would be: If you really want something, you should never let anything get in your way. There is always a way past things, you just have to stay determined. Setting yourself a goal and reaching it is not easy. It requires a lot of hard work. And in the moment you might think: is the work you’re doing worth it? Yes it is. Hard work is always rewarded in one way or another.

 Sports Nation: Anything you wish to add? Any message of thanks? etc...

Passon: If I am not able to make it to Rio this year, I will be quite happy to see how close I have come. Considering that I am 16 years old and I have at least 10 years ahead of me in this sport. I am quite proud to have reached where I am today, and to manage my schooling at the same time.

I would like to thank my family, my sponsors, the National Sports Council, the Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association, the Seychelles Swimming Association, my coaches and everyone who have contributed to my success.

 Interview conducted by S. N.