XIII Special Olympics World Summer Games, Athens, Greece, June 25–July 4-Special Olympics Seychelles team named |04 February 2011

SOS named its team based on the results gained by the male and female athletes during its eighth National Games held at Stad Popiler on December 12 last year.

The eight athletes who will represent Seychelles in track and field athletics in Athens are Regis Duval, Kenny Ah-Kon, Andy Laporte, Andy Labrosse, Suzie Sarakiya, Serapiona Nibourette, Kareen Renaud and Natifa Nourrice.

Only Duval and Labrosse have previously competed in the World Games – in North Carolina, USA, in 1999. Duval was a member of the volleyball team who won the gold medal, while Labrosse played on the football team.

According to SOS chairperson Annette Domingue, the team will train every Sunday until their departure.

She added that the fact of Seychellois disabled athletes competing in Athens will encourage their peers to register with the SOS and undergo the necessary training in the hope of representing Seychelles in national, regional and even international games in the future.

The two coaches who will accompany the eight athletes to Athens are Erica Celeste and Terry Volcère, while board secretary Helen Ernesta will head the delegation.

It is the Special Olympics Incorporated that decides on the quota of athletes all countries will bring to the Games, based mainly on the number of registered athletes each country has. Seychelles got eight places – four females and four males.

The eight Seychellois will be among some 7,500 Special Olympians from 185 nations who will compete in 22 Olympic-type sports in Athens.

The concept of Special Olympics was introduced here in 1986 and the country made its first appearance in the Games, originating in the United States of America (USA), with six athletes the following year in South Bend, Indiana, USA, winning five gold, two silver and three bronze medals.

In Minnesota, USA, in 1991, Seychelles won the male volleyball gold medal, while long jumper Georgina Adam and volleyballer Roland Jeannevol each won a silver medal.

The Seychelles team grabbed six gold and two silver medals in Connecticut, USA, in 1995.

The volleyball gold in North Carolina in 1999 was one of Seychelles’ 26 medals – 11 gold, 11 silver and 4 bronze – when a total of 26 athletes represented their country.

Four years later in Dublin, Ireland, local Special Olympians won an outstanding haul of 28 medals – 12 gold, 7 silver and 9 bronze – in four events – bocce, athletics, football and aquatics (swimming).

In Shanghai, China, in 2007, Seychelles, represented by six athletes, claimed six gold medals and six ribbons in track and field athletics.

The gold medallists were Diguois Steven Ernesta (400m M12 race in 58.05 seconds and 800m M09 race in 2:28.25), Medine Olivia (50m M11 race in 10.71 seconds), Rosie Corallie (200m F22 race in 35.86 seconds), Diana Valentin (shot put F15 with 3.46m) and Lorna Lespoir (400m F14 race in 1:25.05).

G. G.