XXIX Olympiad in Beijing, August 8-24-Our people will put their full weight behind you |01 August 2008

Also in attendance were Community Development, Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Vincent Meriton, Education Minister Bernard Shamlaye, Chinese ambassador Wang Weiguo, Youth, Sports and Culture principal secretary Denis Rose, National Sports Council chief executive Alain Volcère, Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (Socga) president Antonio Gopal, Socga secretary general Alain Alcindor, representatives of sponsors and chairpersons of sports federations and associations.

Minister Meriton said Seychelles’ place in the quadrennial games represents our sense of belonging to the Olympic movement and to the worldwide community aspiring for peace and progress among all nations.

“Our people will put their full weight behind you, our athletes, you who will make us proud by competing against the best of the best in the world,” he told the athletes who will wear blue and white jackets at the Games’ opening ceremony on Friday August 8.

“Whatever the outcome, we are confident you will stand tall and perform to the best of your abilities.”

Before wishing the athletes success, he added that the Beijing Olympics will be a great learning opportunity for Seychellois organisation-wise as the country will host the next Indian Ocean Island Games in 2011.

Mr Gopal said Seychelles’ participation in major games has always brought joy to all Seychellois and that all Olympians are lifetime members when their names are listed on the National Olympic Committee delegation list.

“Olympians and future Olympians, we expect you to show impeccable conduct and to be ambassadors of the Olympic ideals and your country,” said Mr Gopal, who also reminded the athletes to abide by the international and Olympic “code of honour” – never to cheat.

“When athletes take the oath on behalf of all competitors, you are taking the oath too,” he said.

He also presented pins to Vice-President Belmont, Minister Meriton, ambassador Weiguo and the brother of James Liao, who has sponsored the team’s march-past outfits and bags.

Chen Atsai of FlexPro company has provided tracksuits and training shoes.

The nine athletes who will leave Seychelles on Monday for Beijing are Juliette Ah-Wan and Georgie Cupidon (mixed doubles badminton pair), Tony Lespoir (canoeing), Allan Julie (sailing), Terrence Dixie (weightlifting), Lindy Leveau-Agricole and Danny D’Souza (track and field athletics), Shrone Austin and Dwayne Didon (swimming).

Five of the nine – a record for Seychelles – qualified for Beijing.

This will be Seychelles’ seventh time at the Games after making its debut in Moscow, Russia, in 1980. The country did not compete in Seoul, South Korea, in 1988.

The officials on the Seychelles team are Mr Gopal, Mr Alcindor, chef de mission Michel Bau, attaché Juliette Zelime, Philip Albert (canoeing), Mikola Avilov (athletics), Paul Fanchette, Mervin Austin (swimming), William Dixie (weightlifting), Luo Guo Hui (badminton), Nelson Hoareau, Giedrius Guzys (sailing), Kenneth Sherwin and Don Oyao (sports doctors).

Twice Sportsman of the Year Cupidon will carry the flag in the opening ceremony in Beijing.