Seventh Indian Ocean Islands Games (IOIG) prize-money presentation ceremony-Swimmer Shrone Austin gets biggest purse |03 December 2007

The former Sportslady of the Year and three-time outgoing Young Female Athlete of the Year, went home with R62,500 after finishing the Games as Seychelles’ best individual performer and became the first Seychellois athlete to win the most gold medals in anyone edition of the IOIG with seven gold medals won in the 800m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 200m breaststroke, 200m freestyle, 400m individual medley, 400m freestyle and 200m individual medley.

The winner of Seychelles’ first gold medal at the Seventh IOIG like in 2003 in Mauritius, Shrone Austin, whose target was 10 gold medals, also won the 100m breaststroke silver medal, 100m butterfly bronze medal and teamed up with Shannon Austin, Sam Maitland and Liza Mangroo to win the 4x200m freestyle relay bronze medal.

All gold medallists won R7,500, silver medallists R5,000 ad bronze medallists R2,500.
Addressing those present, Community Development, Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Vincent Meriton said that “although financial reward is one of the ways the Seychelles government shows its appreciation for what the athletes have achieved, the most important prize is the athletes’ commitment, sense of patriotism and their will to succeed.”

Minister Meriton added that he is convinced that “personal accomplishment is more important than the medal or prize-money won.”

After congratulating all the athletes, coaches, team managers, sporting federations and associations for playing a lead role, Mr Meriton noted that the result of the Seventh IOIG is a source of inspiration for the eighth edition of the Games to be hosted by Seychelles in 2011.

“We want the Eighth IOIG in 2011to be the best ever organised. Construction and renovation works are already off the ground and we want athletes and coaches to do the rest by identifying new talents to be groomed into top athletes,” he said.

The Minister added that there is a need to establish a partnership with the private sector to help Seychelles sports progress. He also said that the hosting of the next Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l’Océan Indien (CJSOI) Games in 2008 will give a indication of how well Seychelles sport is progressing and what should be done to get things on track for the IOIG in 2011.

For her part, female table tennis player Anniessa Benstrong thanked everyone who helped the athletes achieve their dreams.

After thanking President James Michel for visiting the athletes at the Games Village in Antananarivo, saying it was “a morale booster”, Benstrong urged “fellow athletes to stay away from negative influences and to train hard to win the highest number of medals possible in 2011.”

Minister Meriton, Seychelles National Olympic Committee (Snoc) and Comité International des Jeux (CIJ) president Antonio Gopal as well as National Sports Council Chief Executive Officer Alain Volcère presented the athletes with their cheques worth R710,000 in total.

G. G.