About fifty shortlisted people carried out the last selection test this Thursday at the ANS in Ampefiloha. Fourteen will be selected to represent the country at the Games of the Islands.
Home stretch. The preselected for the games of the Islands proceeded to the last selection test organized by the technical staff of the Malagasy kick-boxing federation. The test took place on Thursday at the National Sports Academy in Ampefiloha. Three fighters per category resumed preparation in mid-June. Like taekwondo, kicks were reinstated in the games program after their exclusion following the decision taken at the end of the meeting of the international games council in mid-May. The two best per category at the end of the test are retained to continue the preparation. “We still kept a third fighter for five categories, those who have the potential to prove better during the regrouping. Some showed a good technical level but given the short call-up time, they were physically weak” underlines the national technical director, Anigael Gastros. El Fazarali among the -71kg who evolved for years in China and who could no longer return there due to the covid pandemic, has also passed the test. He proved his supremacy by achieving a faultless course of two victories in as many fights. “We will not yet reveal the holder by category or the second, the sparring partner during the regrouping or the replacement in the event of injury. The holder by category will not be known until the end of the consolidation. Thus, there will be the challenge between the two retained of each category ” underlines the DTN Anigael Gastros.
Fourteen gold in play
Thirty-eight fights were on the test program. Fifty fighters were in the running from eight leagues, namely Analamanga, Menabe, Atsimo Atsinanana, Haute Matsiatra, Atsiumo-Andrefana, Vakinankaratra and Boeny. “The technical level is getting higher and higher. Some just need to strengthen their physical condition,” pointed out the first technical manager of the discipline. The training site for the final grouping has yet to be determined. The preselected have been training for a few weeks at the RKC club dojo in Ivandry. They train three times a week, from 7am to 9am every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Kick-boxing will for the first time be part of the competitive disciplines at the Island Games. Fourteen gold medals are at stake, including nine for boys (51kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 63.5kg, 67kg, 71kg, 75kg, 81kg) and five for girls (48kg, 52kg, 56kg, 60kg, -65kg ). Five islands will be represented, namely Reunion, Mauritius, Seychelles and Mayotte, in addition to the host island.