Swimming: CJSOI competition-Coach Mendoza is “proud of the kids” |22 December 2005

Last week’s fourth edition of the Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l’Océan indien (CJSOI) swimming competition gave the coach the opportunity to measure the progress made by local swimmers and see for himself how far Seychellois lag behind the Reunionnais.

Shrone Austin won all of Seychelles’ 13 gold medals as the host nation finished second behind first place finisher Reunion, winner of 19 gold medals.

Not only did she win 13 gold medals to be presented with the best female swimmer award, Austin also had her name written next to 12 of the 30 championship records that were improved during three days of competition.

Sportslady of the Year 2003 Austin also broke eight individual Seychelles records and played a significant role as the country’s relay teams lowered two national relay best times.

Austin’s eight national records came in the 50m freestyle (28.62 seconds, old record: 29.22 seconds since 2003), 100m butterfly (1:06.50, old record: 1:09.06 in 2005), 50m backstroke (33.85 seconds, old record: 34.85 seconds in 2003), 200m butterfly (2:25.73, old record: 2:28.56 in 2005), 100m breaststroke (1:17.06, old record: 1:17.44 in 2003), 50m butterfly (30.85 seconds, old record: 31.24 seconds in 2005), 100m freestyle (1:00.56, old record: 1:01.56 in 2005) and 100m backstroke (1:12.34, old record: 1:14.14).

She teamed up with her sister Shannon, Liza Mangroo and Natasha Talipan to improve the 4 x 100m freestyle relay record from 4:43.10 set in 2003 to 4:33.44.

Angelique Banane replaced Mangroo on the team for the 4 x 100m individual medley relay. The foursome of Shrone and Shannon Austin, Talipan and Banane clocked 5:06.54 to erase the old best of 5:15.46, achieved in 2003, from the record books.

Personal bests

Although the other swimmers could not beat any individual national mark, they improved their personal bests, meaning that they too have progressed.

Winner of four individual bronze medals, Shannon Austin’s new personal best times came in the 50m freestyle (30.02 seconds), 50m breaststroke (38.49 seconds), 200m individual medley (2:39.93), 400m freestyle (4:52.02), 200m freestyle (2:23.00), 400m individual medley (5:45.10), 50m butterfly (34.23 seconds), 100m freestyle (1:05.31) and 800m freestyle (10:03.45).

Angelique Banane improved her two personal best times in the 100m breaststroke (1:26.28) and 200m breaststroke (3:10.91).

Natasha Talipan’s only individual personal best came in the 50m backstroke (38.57 seconds).

All five boys on the Seychelles team clocked personal best times. Adrian Nanty improved his performances in the 500m freestyle (25.18 seconds), 200m backstroke (2:23.93), 50m backstroke (31.35 seconds), 400m individual medley (5:06.36) and 100m freestyle (56.09 seconds).

Steven Mangroo registered five personal bests in the 50m freestyle (25.83 seconds), 100m butterfly (1:01.09), 200m freestyle (1:59.68), 50m butterfly (27.69 seconds) and 100m freestyle (56.43 seconds).

Claude Adeline’s six personal bests came in the 200m individual medley (2:26.65), 400m freestyle (4:30.02), 200m butterfly (2:24.33), 400m individual medley (5:12.10), 100m backstroke (1:12.66) and 1,500m freestyle (17:43.31).

Julio Smith clocked personal best times in the 50m breaststroke (36.78 seconds) and 200m breaststroke (2:50.48), while Ryan Payet got his in the 100m breaststroke (1:23.63) and 200m breaststroke (3:04.04).

Speaking to Sports Nation at the end of the championship, coach Mendoza said that he was “proud of the kids who did a hell of a good job.”

“They came into the championship with the kind of discipline that I want in the team. I cannot ask for more from them right now. They did their very best and improved their personal best times. Shrone (Austin) is a lady and a psycho when she swims. She just goes wild. When she gets out of the pool, she is a down-to-earth person. She supports the others and is a good teammate. She will swim good in next year’s Commonwealth Games. I have to congratulate my team of coaches who include Jack Fanchette, Paul Fanchette, Prischila Kinlock and Barnsley Albert for their good job,” said coach Mendoza.

G. G.