It has been confirmed that Seychelles will host the fifth Fédération internationale de natation World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships scheduled for 2020.
The event is held every two years, in even years, and gives young open water swimmers between the ages of 14 and 19 an opportunity to compete at the highest level.
The youth (14-16 years old) races take place on a 5km distance, while the juniors (17-18 years old) compete on a 7.5km course.
Team races which take place on the third day cover 3km.
Seychelles was being represented at the last event in 2018 by three swimmers, with young Bertrand Payet honoured to read the oath of the championships.
In a press conference yesterday at the Gecko Bar, Savoy Seychelles Resort & Spa at Beau Vallon, Seychelles Swimming Association (SSA) chairman David Vidot said Seychelles won the bid to organise the event while attending the 14th Fina world swimming short course championships at the Hangzhou Olympic and International Expo Centre in Hangzhou, China last year.
Yesterday’s event was also attended by the Minister for Finance, Trade, Investment and Economic Planning Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, chief executive of the National Sports Council (NSC) Jean Larue, chief executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) Sherin Naiken, principal secretary for youth and sports Fabian Palmyre and NSC board chairman Eddie Micock.
Mr Vidot said the event will boost the chance of Seychelles becoming a pioneer in open water swimming at regional and continental level.
He explained that no other African country has ever been so audacious to bring such an event to their shores.
Mr Vidot also noted that the event will serve as an inspiration for our youngsters as it will offer them the chance of a lifetime to swim in a world championship.
This, he said, will motivate them to train harder, knowing that the event is world class and only the best will take part.
He also urged all the partners to join forces as they will all have their share of benefits and success through the event
On behalf of the NSC, Mr Larue said hosting the event is a great achievement for our small country, compared to the size of previous hosts.
He added that the event is also very important as emphasis is currently being put on youth development, especially the ‘learn to swim campaign’ which encourages all kids to learn to swim.
Mr Larue added that our natural resources offer equal opportunities to most sporting activities and on that note commended the SSA for its initiative and encouraged other sports governing bodies to follow the example by coming up with similar initiatives which, he said, will benefit the whole country.
Mrs Francis said the STB welcomes the idea and will bring its full support as they will greatly benefit from it as an industry, especially through media coverage.
She also urged every partner in the tourism industry to back up the event as it will also be greatly beneficial to them.
On behalf of the Seychelles government, Mr Loustau-Lalanne said such an initiative will be financially backed, as preserving youth development remains a key target.
He also noted that similar initiatives are always welcomed, on the condition that they are properly organised and on that note he also commended the SSA for its commitment and boldness in bidding for such a big event.
Seychelles will soon host for the second time the Fina/Hosa Marathon Swim World Series. The event is scheduled for Sunday May 12 at the Beau Vallon beach.
Like last year, the event will also feature the open challenge – mass participation races – which will be organised in parallel of the 10km elite race.
When Seychelles hosted the Fina/Hosa marathon open water swim world series for the first time on Sunday May 20 last year, there was a tight finish for the women’s and men’s second leg races as 2017 winners Arianna Bridi and Simone Ruffini of Italy sprinted to the finish line of the 10km contests in the turquoise sea at Beau Vallon.
Bridi’s winning time was 1 hour 58 minutes 32.3 seconds (1h58:32.3) while Ruffini reached home in 1h49.41.9.
According to the competitors, Seychelles deserved an A+ grade for organisation, especially after the organisers had to work overtime the day before the event (Saturday) after calling off the day’s mass event after all the pontoons and buoys were lost or damaged by bad weather late Friday afternoon.
The organisers had to recover everything and place them back on Saturday after the sea at Beau Vallon had returned to its usual calmness, ready for the Sunday morning event.