Canoeist Tony Lespoir has won the Sportsman of the Year title for the first time a first for the sport of canoeing. Seychelles Nation presents short profiles of the top five chosen from the finalists in both the female and male categories. Canoeist Tony Lespoir Sportsman of the Year None K1 500m silver medallist at the African Championship in Kenya to qualify for the Olympic Games in Beijing, China; K1 1,000m bronze medallist at the African Championship in Kenya; Ranked eighth out of eight with 4:05.89 in the K1 1,000m at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China; Ranked seventh out of seven with 1:53.24 in the K1 500m at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China; K1 1,000m national record of 4:09.76 to finish seventh out of as many competitors in the first series of the World Cup in Zagreb, Hungary; Ranked eighth out of nine with 44.175 seconds in the K1 200m B final of the first series of the World Cup in Zagreb, Hungary; Ranked seventh out of seven in the K1 1,000m with 4:15.58 in the second series in Duisburg, Germany; Ranked seventh out of nine in the K1 500m with 1:58.23 in the second series in Duisburg, Germany; K1 1,000m record with a new time of 4:07.89 in the third series of the World Cup in Poznan, Poland; Ranked fifth out of seven with 1:55.15 in the K1 500m in the third series of the World Cup in Poznan, Poland. This is the first time Tony Lespoir has won the Sportsman of the Year title. Chosen as male canoeist for a 13th straight year at the end of 2008, he earned his qualification for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing, China, after taking second place and the silver medal in the K1 500m race during the Fifth Africa Canoe-Kayak Championship held on the Masinga Dam in Kenya. The 32-year-old also won a bronze medal in the K1 1,000m race.
Laser sailor Allan Julie runner-up Winner of the National Championship Runner-up of the Laser Cup A competition. Ranked 32nd out of 43 sailors at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China; Ranked sixth out of 39 in the Barcelona Olympic Sailing Week; Ranked 21st out of 48 in the European Laser Senior Championship; Ranked 41st out of 54 in the gold fleet of the World Laser sailing Championship; Ranked 12th out of 85 in the Laser Europa Cup in Andora, Italy; Ranked 2nd out of 101 in the Laser Europa Cup Standard in Hyères, France; Ranked 5th out of 78 in the Laser Europa Cup sailed over the Riva Del Garda, Italy; Ranked 71st in the Delta Lloyd Regatta in the Nertherlands; Ranked 44th in the Semaine Olympique Française in Hyères, France. A former five-time Sportsman of the Year, in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005, Allan Julie, 31, has retained his runner-up position. He was also third in 2003 and fifth in 2006.
Badminton player Georgie Cupidon third place Men s singles, men s doubles and mixed doubles win of the Curtain-raiser tournament; Men s singles and men s doubles winner of the Knockout competition; Mixed doubles runner-up of the Knockout competition; Men s doubles and mixed doubles winner of the Closing Cup competition; Men s singles runner-up of the Closing Cup competition. Men s doubles gold medal with partner Steve Malcouzane at the Kenya Open; Lost in the first match of the mixed doubles with partner Juliette Ah-Wan at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Twice Sportsman of the Year in 2006 and 2007, Georgie Cupidon has relinquished the title. Badminton player Steve Malcouzane fourth place
Men s singles winner of the Closing Cup competition; Men s doubles and mixed doubles runner-up of the Closing Cup competition; Men s singles and mixed doubles runner-up of the Curtain-raiser competition Men s doubles and mixed doubles winner of the Knockout competition; Men s singles runner-up of the Knockout competition. Men s doubles gold medal with partner Georgie Cupidon at the Kenya Open. Third overall in the Sports Awards of the Year 2007 crowning ceremony, Steve Malcouzane, 26, has dropped to fourth place. Table tennis player Godfrey Sultan fifth place Men s singles winner of the Curtain-raiser competition; Men s singles winner of the Monthly Challenge tournaments in March, April, May, June and September. Mixed doubles gold medallist with partner Anniessa Benstrong in the individual competition of the second Zone 7 tournament in Reunion; Men s singles bronze medal in the individual competition of the second Zone 7 tournament in Reunion. This is the first time Godfrey Sultan, 23, has got a top-five finish. He teamed up with Anniessa Benstrong to win the mixed doubles gold medal of the second Zone 7 tournament in Reunion.
Athlete Lindy Leveau-Agricole Sportswoman of the Year Won all local competitions she competed in. Javelin silver medallist with a distance of 52.92m at the 16th African Senior Athletics Championships in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Ranked 29th out of 54 competitors after registering a season s best throw of 56.32m inside the Bird s Nest (National Stadium) in Beijing, China, during the 29th Olympic Games; Qualified for the sixth Jeux de la Francophonie in Beirut, Lebanon, from September 27-October 6. This is the third time Lindy Leveau-Agricole has won the Sportswoman of the Year crown. Her first two wins came in 1996 and 2005. Leveau-Agricole, who has won the female athlete of the year title a record eight times in 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2008 was the javelin silver medallist at the 16th African Senior Athletics Championships in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Runner-up to Sportswoman of the Year 1998 Yvonne Legaie, Leveau Agricole was third in 2007 and fifth in 2002. Weightlifter Janet Thélermont runner-up Competed in the National Championship, the only local competition organised in 2008. Snatch bronze medallist with 95kg at the African Weightlifting Championship;
Ranked fourth overall with an Olympic total of 205kg at the African Weightlifting Championship. Thrice former Sportswoman of the Year, Janet Thélermont, whose titles came at two-year intervals in 2002, 2004 and 2006 has finished as runner-up a third time. She was runner-up to Shrone Austin in 2003 and to Lindy Leveau-Agricole in 2005. She was fifth overall in 2000, fourth in 2001 and 2007. Volleyballer Marielle Bonne third place Women s Division One league winner with Arsu; Seychelles Volleyball Federation Cup winner with Arsu; Seychelles Volleyball Federation Shield winner with Arsu ; Curtain-raiser competition quarterfinalist with Arsu. Indian Ocean Club Championship winner with Arsu, voted Most Valuable Player of the tournament; Jeux de la Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l Océan indien volleyball tournament gold medallist with the Seychelles youth team; Fourth-place finish with the Seychelles youth team in the 12th Women s Junior African Nations Championships in Kenya. Hardhitter Marielle Bonne, 17, towered over more experienced players in volleyball to get a third place overall finish. This is the first time she has featured among the top five.
Athlete Lissa Labiche fourth place Won all local competitions she took part in. Jeux de la Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l Océan indien high jump gold medallist with a height of 1.79m, which went down as Seychelles girl, youth, junior and senior records; Gold medallist with a bar of 1.63 metres at the first Coupe de l Océan indien in Réunion; Silver medallist with a height of 1.70m at the Southern Region Youth Athletics Championships in South Africa; Qualified for the sixth Jeux de la Francophonie in Beirut, Lebanon, from September 27-October 6; Met the standard for the International Association of Athletics Federations World Youth Championships slated for Bressanone, Italy from July 8-12. Lissa Labiche, 15, really caught the eye in 2008, making the Seychelles female high jump records hers. Her best effort was 1.79m and she did not disappoint in international competitions. Table tennis player Anniessa Benstrong fifth place Winner of the Monthly Challenge tournaments in March, April, May and June; Runner-up in the Monthly Challenge in September; Women s singles winner of the Curtain-raiser competition. Women s singles gold medallist in the individual competition of the second Zone 7 tournament in Reunion; Mixed doubles gold medallist with partner Godfrey Sultan in the individual competition of the second Zone 7 tournament in Reunion; Women s singles gold medallist of the Jeux de la Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l Océan indien; Bronze medallist in the girls team event of the Jeux de la Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l Océan indien; Competed in the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India, and reached the knockout stage. Anniessa Benstrong, 17, is one of three young athletes to challenge the seniors for a place in the Sports Awards of the Year 2008 honours list. The other two are Marielle Bonne and Lissa Labiche.
Compiled by G. G.