President Danny Faure received Mr Steven Baccus at State House this morning, the most-decorated Seychellois athlete overall in the 40-year history of the Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG). Mr Baccus has participated in IOIG six times, and has won 18 gold medals.
Mr Baccus started weightlighting at 17 years old. He participated in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, competing in the men's 83 kg event and finishing in sixteenth position. He participated at the IOIG for the first time in 1998, and has come out victorious in all editions of the IOIG since then.
The President congratulated Mr Baccus on his achievements, saying that he has made the country and people extremely proud. He encouraged Mr Baccus to continue inspiring young people to take up sports, and give them the motivation and guidance to succeed.
Mr Baccus thanked the President for meeting with him and expressed his pride at having the opportunity to represent Seychelles on so many occasions. He shared with the President his journey so far as a sportsman and also as a trained firefighter with the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority. He said that he loves his job, which has been a passion for him as much as weightlifting. He expressed his wish that more young people, particularly young women, pursue weightlifting, and that they maintain the focus, commitment and discipline required to succeed in sports.
Reminiscing on the 2011 IOIG which Seychelles hosted, Mr Baccus shared with the President how Seychelles came a historic second in the games, very close to victory with 57 gold medals. He suggested that next time, Seychelles starts preparing for the games earlier, and ensures that young athletes have support structures in place to help them do their best. He also suggested that the National Sports Council introduces more sports as extracurricular activities in schools, to encourage young people to participate from an early age. Mr Baccus said that he would always continue advocating for the importance of sports, particularly to young people with potential.