Africa-Press – Seychelles. The Seychelles participate in the opening ceremony
Postponed twice due to the coronavirus pandemic, the ninth Francophonie Games officially kicked off last night. The opening ceremony took place in the immense Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo where the delegations took turns.
The opening ceremony spectacle told the odyssey of two Games participants wandering through the multiple dimensions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Francophonie.
Accompanied by the spirit of the Leopard, they participated in an initiatory journey along the Congo River, through the lush forests of the basin to Kinshasa, the world’s first Francophone city to the singular urban reality.Eighty thousand (80 000) spectators saw the parade of the three thousand young athletes and artists, from thirty countries, engaged in the competitions and contests that take place for ten days in the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, largest francophone city in the world with about fifteen million inhabitants.
The delegations and their flag bearers paraded in the stadium, followed by a sound and light show that presented the changing Congo.
A gold medalist over 100 meters in Côte d’Ivoire in 2017, sprinter Dylan Sicobo is the flag bearer for the Seychelles delegation.
Awarded in 2019 to the DRC, the games were due to take place in 2021, four years after those in Abidjan. But they were postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, then again in 2022 because the necessary equipment was not ready.
These Francophonie Games represent the first major international competition that the DRC has organized in its entire history.
Dominic Pillay, in charge of the sports section: “Today everything went well. Athletes from three sports disciplines were able to compete. Improvements in organization are noticed. The nutrition is very balanced and we expect good results from our athletes”.Marie Sally from the culture side:“So far everything is in order despite some minor delays. The morale is high and our participants are well prepared with their mentor”.
On the medical side the representatives shared that there are no injuries and they are accompanying the athletes.
Seychelles athletes have started training on the games village site. The state of mind of the athletes remains solid even if they have not been able to access the training site in Kinshasa.
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