The Prime Minister, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, hosted a get-together, yesterday afternoon at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis, to honour and praise the performance of para-athletes who participated in the 11th edition of the Para Athletics World Championships in Kobe, Japan from 17 to 25 May 2024.
On this occasion, Ms Noemi Alphonse, who is the current World Champion of the 100 metres and Vice-World Champion of the 400 metres in the T54 category, and Ms Anaïs Angeline who is currently the Vice-World Champion of the Long Jump in the T37 category, also received, from the Prime Minister, cheques amounting to Rs 2.5 million and Rs 1 million, respectively.
The Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Recreation, Mr Jean Christophe Stephan Toussaint, and other personalities were also present on this occasion.
In his address, Prime Minister Jugnauth commended the Mauritian delegation for their participation in these games and for making our Nation proud. He remarked that Ms Alphonse and Ms Angelique have created history, through their efforts and perseverance, and reassured Government’s determination to ensure the proper development of Mauritian athletes.
The Prime Minister seized the opportunity to congratulate the para-athletes’ coaches and family members for their continuous encouragement and support. He dwelt on Government’s vision as far as sports are concerned and reassured that all required facilities will continue to be put at our athletes’ disposal for them to thrive in their respective disciplines.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Jugnauth observed that the Côte d’Or National Sports Complex, along with other sports infrastructure around the island, provides state-of-the-art facilities to athletes so as to enable them to train in the best conditions possible. He reminded the importance of practicing sports and physical activities regularly, which might be a stepping stone for high-level performances in the future. This Government’s policy, he added, will moreover contribute in discovering talents at a very young age and mentor them so that they can later shine at national and international levels.
It is recalled that the coaches of Ms Alphonse and Ms Angeline also received cheques amounting to Rs 540,000 and Rs 270,000 respectively for their efforts.
