Boxing: Injury woes for Seychelles boxers in Olympic qualifiers
Keddy Agnes injured his foot and is out and the only hope rests on Andrique Alissop
Keddy Agnes was one of the hopes for Seychelles’ new generation of boxers to qualify for an Olympic Game and in this case the Rio Olympics in August.
The over 91kg super heavyweight pugilist made it to only one round in his quarterfinal fight against Nigerian Efe Ajagba as a foot injury forced him to give up. Agnes, who won a silver medal at the All Africa games last year had an x-ray and fortunately he has not suffered any broken bones or rupture but has sprained his ankle. Unfortunately for him and for the whole of Seychelles his Olympic dream has been shattered. According to the team leader at the Olympic qualifying championship in Yaoude, Cameroon Herve Anthony, Agnes was fighting well in the first round, managing to keep his Nigerian opponent well at bay, until the accident happened. “This is a disappointment as we had high hopes that Agnes could make it to the semifinals and even the finals and qualify for the Olympics,” said the boxing association Secretary General Edmond Folette.
Apparently Agnes is the seventh boxer to have injured his foot at the championship suggesting that there is something wrong with the ring especially the canvass on the floor.
Agnes is the second Seychellois boxer to be injured in Yaoundé. On Saturday Jovette Jean injured his shoulder in his first fight which he won and that prevented him from taking to the ring for his quarter final bout against an Algerian.
Jovette Jean
Now all hopes for an Olympic qualification for Seychelles boxing is on Andrique Allissop. Fighting in the 60kg category, Allissop will face Ethiopian Biru Mesfin Keralah today in the quarter finals.
So far only sailor Rodney Govinden and windsurfer Jean-Marc Gardette have qualified for the Rio Olympics.
Source: Today.sc 3-16-16