11th All-Africa Games - Triumphant Labiche returns as games end |21 September 2015

The 11th All-Africa Games that had gathered athletes from all corners of the continent came to an end with a festivity on Saturday in Congo Brazzaville, but locally the celebration came from the arrival of Lissa Labiche, the final gold medallist for Seychelles at these Games.

Labiche clinched the women’s high jump gold medal in Congo by holding off the challenge of three-time champion Doreen Amata of Nigeria, as she cleared the bar at 1.91m.

On Saturday upon her arrival to Seychelles, Labiche was welcomed at the Seychelles International Airport by the Minister for Social Affairs, Community Development and Sports Vincent Meriton and the chairman of the Seychelles Athletics Federation Selby Dora.

“I went all out to win gold and I am very satisfied as I have performed quite well throughout the year,” said Labiche.

Amata won the silver with a jump of 1.85m despite attempting to clear the bar at 1.91m and failing all three times. South Africa’s Julia Du Plessis clinched the bronze medal with a leap of 1.80m.

Labiche admitted though that it was a tough tournament as she was up against top opposition, but she had prepared herself well for this competition and came out victorious in the end.

Holder of the Seychelles national record of 1.92m, Labiche tried to clear the bar at 1.94m in her final attempts but did not manage to achieve it, thus missing out on qualifying for the Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.

She said: “I needed someone to put some competitive pressure on me so I could clear the bar, but that was not the case, though I tried my very best.”

Labiche’s next step now is to achieve a further 3cm on her jump so that she can qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

She added though that to prepare for big competitions she does not really need overseas training as going abroad for training does not necessarily mean you will become better.

Other athletes who arrived on Saturday afternoon were members of the men’s basketball team who finished winless, judokas, as well as tae kwon do and handisports athletes.

Seychelles has finished the Games with a record haul of 12 medals – 4 gold, 3 silver and 5 bronze.

The gold medal winners are Juliette Ah-Wan and Alisen Camille in the badminton women’s doubles event, female weightlifter Ruby Malvina with two in the clean & jerk and total lift, and high jumper Labiche.

Keddy Agnes (boxing +91kg), Ruby Malvina (weightlifting – snatch), Clementina Agricole (weightlifting – clean & jerk) won the country’s three silver medals, while the five bronze medals were won by Clementina Agricole (two in weightlifting – snatch and total lift), Alexus Laird (swimming), Juliette Ah-Wan and Georgie Cupidon (badminton – mixed doubles) and the Seychelles badminton team of Ah-Wan, Camille, Cupidon, Steve Malcouzane, Kervin Ghislain and Cynthia Course in the mixed team event.

Although the final medals table was not available by the time of going to press, it was clear that Seychelles had finished in the top-10 among the 37 countries who won medals in Congo Brazzaville.

Meanwhile, the curtains came down on the 11th All-Africa Games with a colourful closing ceremony inside the new Kintele Stadium, Congo Brazzaville on Saturday night, with Brazil legend, Pele appreciating the African athletes and the hosts for impressive performances.

A jersey signed by the iconic Pele, whose football days were highlighted on the big screen, was presented to the country's president Denis Sassou Nguesso.

Participating countries observed the traditional march parade after the flag bearers had entertained the crowd.

One significant episode at the closing ceremony was the power supply that went off in the stadium.

This elicited wide jeers from the crowd but that didn't take the shine off the event of the night as the achievements of all the countries were reeled out by the commentator and shown on the big TV screen at the 60,058 capacity stadium otherwise known as the Unity Stadium.

Local dance troops and music acts took the centre stage after the parade of participating countries to offer more entertainment.  

President Nguesso was afterwards ushered off the stadium after presenting a commemorative flag to the local organising committee members.

Accra (Ghana), Nairobi (Kenya) and Lusaka (Zambia) are the bidding cities for the 12th All-Africa Games in 2019.

S. N.