XXI Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia – Day one |06 April 2018
Seychelles lose to Canada in badminton
The Seychelles’ badminton selection started off their campaign at the XXI Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia on the wrong foot yesterday by losing to Canada on the first day of competition.
Drawn in pool D alongside Ghana, Canada and Malaysia, Team Seychelles, made up of Kervin Ghislain, Alisen Camille and Steve Malcouzane, lost 0-5 to Canada in the mixed team event at the Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre.
In the men’s singles, Ghislain lost 0-2 (7-21, 6-21) to Jason Ho-Shue, while in the women’s singles, Camille couldn’t catch up with the fast pace of Michelle Li. She lost the match 0-2 (3-21, 5-21).
In the men’s doubles, Ghislain paired up with Malcouzane against the Canadian duo of Brian Yang and Ty Lindeman.
Despite a slight resistance in the first set, the local duo could not match the Canadians as they lost the match 0-2. The set scores were 8-21 and 9-21.
In the women’s doubles the Canadian pair made up of Brittney Tam and Rachel Honderich won without breaking a sweat as Seychelles did not field a team and it was the same case in the mixed doubles where NylYakura and Kristen Tsai walked over Team Seychelles for an overall 5-0 result.
In the other matches in the group, Ghana also lost 0-5 at the hands of the Malaysian team.
Canada and Malaysia are first and second in the pool respectively. Both teams have one point, with Canada boasting a superior set difference.
In today’s matches, Canada will play against Malaysia, while Seychelles will face Ghana.
In swimming at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, Therese Soukup was ranked seventh in the third heat of the women’s 200m freestyle with a time of 2 minutes 15.63 seconds (2:15.63). The gold medal for the event was won by Canadian Taylor Ruck in a Game record of 1:54.81. Australian Arianne Titmus (1:54.85) and Emma MCkeon (1:56.26) were second and third respectively.
Italy-based Aaliyah Palestrini finished seventh in the first heat of the women’s 100m butterfly in a time of 1:08.64 and Samuele Rossi was also ranked seventh in the second heat and 15th overall in the men’s 200m breaststroke in 2:32.99.
As for Adam Moncherry, he was disqualified in the men’s 50m butterfly.
In cycling, Team Seychelles made up of Stephen Belle, Jeff Esparon and Christopher Gerry could only manage an eighth overall spot in the men’s team sprint event held yesterday at the Anna Meares Velodrome.
They clocked a combined time of 53.214 seconds which was not enough to keep them in the medal qualifying zone.
Only the two fastest teams advanced to the gold medal final, while the next two fastest teams advanced to the bronze medal final.
Team New Zealand comprising Ethan Mitchel, lSam Webster and Eddie Dawkins clinched the gold medal in 42.877 seconds, ahead of England’s Ryan Owens, Joseph Truman and Philip Hindes who finished in 43.516 seconds.
The host country’s Nathan Hart, Matthew Glaetzer and Patrick Constable finished third in 44.205 seconds.
In squash, Klaus Pragassen narrowly lost 2-3 (15-11, 4-11, 7-11, 11-6, 9-11) to Ernest Jombla of Sierra Leone.
In boxing, Edrian Volcère lost what New Zealand media has described as a war against New Zealand boxer Richard Hadlow who has progressed in the men’s 64kg division.
Hadlow, 30 and who suffered a nasty cut above his eye, defeated Volcere by split decision in a three-round fight. He won a split decision over Volcere after the two went toe-to-toe in a ferocious three-round brawl.
R. D.