Cross-country-Praslin runners to pit their skills against Mahe men |22 January 2009

As winners in their categories in the year’s first cross-country race on Praslin last Saturday, the athletes are expected to arrive on Mahe on Saturday morning for the race at the Roche Caïman fitness trail that day.

The Praslin team consists of Nerry Luc, Samuel Vidot and Roy Jean-Baptiste. Luc will compete in the under-18 (youth) category and will race 4km in two laps. He was the only runner in his category in last Saturday’s race when he clocked 14 minutes 52.5 seconds.

Vidot will run with the under-20s (junior) on a 6km stretch split into three laps. Vidot managed 21:53.1 on Praslin, five seconds ahead of runner-up Nelson Esther.

And Roy Jean-Baptiste, winner of the men’s over-20 (senior) category, ran an 8km distance over four laps in a time of 30:02.3.
 
There will be no women athletes from Praslin taking part in the Junior and Senior categories as there were none running in those groups in the Praslin race. The Seychelles Athletics Federation (SAF) has said it will cover all the costs for the Praslin athletes, such as transport, food and lodging.

SAF representative and coach Joseph Volcy told Sports Nation it is their aim to get Praslin athletes to take part in athletics events from now on, especially in mixed events such as the Inter Island Track and Field competition, which took place on La Digue last June and is to be held in April this year, again on La Digue .  

I. H.