Anaïs Angéline was the first Mauritian para-athlete to qualify for the Paralympic Games during the World Para-Athletics Championships.
Exceptionally, for the return of our sportsman of the month section, our editorial staff’s choice fell on two sportswomen who left their mark on minds as well as hearts during the month of February. Kate Foo Kune has made an exceptional comeback on the African badminton scene and is on the verge of returning to the Olympics for the second time in her career. For her part, Anaïs Angéline has been on the rise since her qualification for the Paralympic Games, acquired last year, and now holds the African record for length T20/37.
Badista Kate Foo Kune is making an exceptional comeback on the African scene with her sights set on the Paris Olympic Games.
A triumphant return for Kate Foo Kune
Returning to badminton lessons in 2022 after her long suspension, Kate Foo Kune made her return in an era which saw the emergence of exceptional young badminton players, notably the South African Johanita Scholtz and the rising star of Ugandan badminton, Fadilah Shamika Mohamed Rafi, crowned African champions respectively at only 21 and 17 years old.
Coach Jean-Marie Bhugeerathee (right) was also present at the Decathlon premises for the awards ceremony. © Krishna Pather
This means that the task was great for our compatriot because it was necessary not only to find an honorable level to be able to compete against these new faces but also to reconquer the mental aspect of high-level sport because an absence, however short it may be , can weigh heavy. This was particularly the case for her return to the 2022 African Individual Championships in South Africa where she lost in the first round of the women’s singles against Ugandan Fadilah Shamika Mohamed Rafi (21-16, 21-18). ).
From gc. from right: Humaan Zeadally, Coach Sport Co leader at Decathlon, Cathy Foo Kune (mother of Kate) and Romy Joganah, Events Manager at PhoenixBev. © Krishna Pather
This year, with an impressive end to the season where she notably put her name on the Olympic race, the Mauritian found the full extent of her talent in Cairo, Egypt for this edition of the African Championships. In women’s singles, Kate Foo Kune marked her triumphant return by winning her fifth title after top seed and defending champion Fadilah Shamika Mohamed Rafi withdrew in the final. The quarter-final saw Foo Kune take on Egyptian Rahma Mohamed Saad Eladawy, securing a convincing victory. The semi-final featured a tough encounter against South Africa’s Johanita Scholtz, with Foo Kune emerging victorious in straight sets 22-20 and 21-19.
Humaan Zeadally, Coach Sport Co leader at Decathlon, offering a voucher to Kate Foo Kune’s mother. © Krishna Pather
Being away from the country, Kate Foo kune was represented by her mother, Cathy. She received the trophy for February Sportswoman of the Month from Romy Joganah, Events Manager at PhoenixBev. © Krishna Pather
After her remarkable victory, Kate Foo Kune expressed her joy and confidence, saying: “It’s amazing to come back, especially after my performance last year in the individual event. I am convinced that I am on the right track, and from now on all eyes will be on Ghana because it is very crucial for everyone who wants to qualify for Paris 2024., she suggested before the African Games. If the success was not the same in Accra, she still leads the Olympic ranking of the Road to Paris 2024 for the African zone in women’s singles with 19,132 points.
Anaïs Angéline receiving her voucher from Humaan Zeadally from Decathlon. © Krishna Pather
Anaïs Angéline, always higher, always further
Last year, at the end of a very tough final, Anaïs Angéline won her ticket to the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris by placing in fourth place in the T37 long jump competition. With a leap of 4m28 (wind +0.2) on her second attempt, Anaïs Angéline was the first Mauritian para-athlete to qualify for these Paralympic Games during the World Para-athletics Championships which took place at the Charlety stadium in France.
She distinguished herself during the long jump event at the WPA Grand Prix Dubai with a gold medal as well as the African record for this event.
Building on this performance, the protégé of Jean-Marie Bhugeerathee will present herself at her second Paralympic Games with ambitions for a medal both at these Games and at the next Worlds. “It’s a lot of pressure since my goal is to aim for the podium now. I want to do well because I know that Mauritius is behind me. “I still have a bitter taste after finishing in fourth place so I’m going to do everything I can to get a medal.” confides the 24-year-old disabled sportswoman who shone during the tour to the United Arab Emirates in February.
With three competitions on the program, Anaïs Angéline quickly resumed on the same basis as last year, winning the gold medal in the T20/37 long jump final with a jump of 4m30 (-0.3) at the WPA Meeting Sharjah International. A performance which already improved his mark of 4m28 achieved during the last World Championships. If she jumped 4m24 during the Khorfakkan international meeting, earning her a bronze medal, it was the pressure of the event that led her to excel.
Romy Joganah, Events Manager at PhoenixBev, rewarding para-athlete Anaïs Angéline. © Krishna Pather
Indeed, the greater the competition, the more the Mauritian manages to surpass herself. This was the case at the WPA Grand Prix Dubai where she won the golden charm by setting a new African record in the T37 long jump. Fourth in the 200m T37 final with a time of 31s36 (wind +1.5), Anaïs Angéline did not miss her place on the podium in her favorite discipline. From her first attempt in the long jump final, she achieved a mark of 4m58 (+4.3), more than enough to capture the gold medal as well as the African record for this event.
Following her coronation at length, Anaïs Angéline finished on a good note by winning a second gold medal, this time in the 100m T37. The young Mauritian stopped the clock by covering the distance in 14s54.
2024-03-27 07:34:16
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