Judo: Rio 2016 Olympics - Dugasse qualifies for Olympics |01 June 2016

Judoka Dominic Dugasse is the fifth Seychellois athlete to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Praslinois Dugasse is currently ranked 130th in the world in the -100kg class and has claimed his qualification after taking part in numerous tournaments, thus garnering the required number of points to be ranked 10th in Africa and gain his place in Rio.

Dugasse joins sailors Allan Julie (Finn) and Rodney Govinden (Laser), windsurfer Jean-Marc Gardette and boxer Andrique Allisop to earn qualification for the games that will take place in August.

“I was expecting to qualify, but since I did not win any medals lately, I had to wait to know if I would manage to get a continental slot, which I did and I am very happy to be going to the Olympics for a second time,” said Dugasse.

This will be Dugasse’s second Olympic Games after his debut in the 2012 London Games where he lost in the first round in the -100kg category.

Dugasse’s most recent international tournament was the African Open Championship which was held in Casablanca, Morocco, where he lost out to the eventual finalist, Italian Domenico Di Guida at the semifinal stage in his group.

The former Sportsman of the Year added: “I have two months to prepare myself now and my aim is to give a good performance and at least try to win two fights in Rio.”

The Seychelles Judo Federation is still awaiting the fate of another athlete, Brigitte Rose, who is still waiting for confirmation on her involvement at the games. Like Dugasse, Rose needs to accumulate enough points through international events in order to guarantee her place in Rio.

Rose is currently 12th in Africa in terms of points accumulated but only the top 10 go through to Rio.

S. N.