Seychelles celebrated its first gold medals of the CJSOI 2025 Games on Monday, thanks to a brilliant showing from young swimmer Angelina Smythe, who lit up the Roche Caiman swimming pool with two standout performances.
Smythe struck gold in both the 100m backstroke and the 400m individual medley, making her the first Seychellois athlete to climb to the top of the podium at this year’s Games — a significant moment of national pride for the host country.
In front of an enthusiastic home crowd, the 16-year-old showed maturity beyond her years, swimming with both power and poise. In the 100m backstroke, the first race for the day, she pulled away early and maintained a commanding lead to secure her first title, almost unchallenged.
She returned to the pool to a more challenging showdown later in the day, but she dominated the 400m medley nonetheless, proving her versatility across all four strokes. She well behind in third place afterh initial 100m butterfly, but she made amends in the 100m backstroke that followed, before coming par with her two Reunion’s opponents of during the third lap in the breaststroke.
The three swimmers were inseparable in the final 100m freestyle but buoyed by the crowed Smythe produced a last minute gasp at the finishing line to out dip her adversaries, and secure a second gold.
She was very nearly a one-woman show for Team Seychelles in the water, keeping the host nation’s hopes alive as other members of the team struggled to keep up with the high standard of competition. Most of the Seychellois swimmers after her failed to make a significant impact, finishing well off the podium in their respective events, until Anthony Morgan delivered a late surprise by grabbing bronze in the gruelling 1500m freestyle.
Morgan challenged a Mauritian swimmer for much of the race for at least a second place in the energy-sapping race, but had to settle for third capping the day with a morale-boosting performance and adding to Seychelles’ medal tally.
But while Seychelles celebrated its triumphs, the day was largely dominated by Reunion, whose swimmers showed why the French overseas department remains a powerhouse in Indian Ocean swimming.
The team claimed seven out of the ten gold medals on offer, displaying depth, technique, and tactical brilliance in every event. Their superiority in the water has long been the benchmark for the region, and on Monday, they lived up to their billing once again.
Smythe’s gold medals exploit however stands out as one of the few challenges to Réunion’s dominance, along with Madagascar’s lone gold, which came in the 100m breaststroke — a result that caught many off guard and proved the competition isn’t entirely one-sided.
Mauritius, too, came heartbreakingly close to gold, settling for multiple silver medals but showing that they are edging closer to the top.
As the swimming competition continues, all eyes will be on whether Smythe can add to her tally and whether other nations can keep pace with Reunion’s elite swimmers. For Seychelles, the host nation now has a golden spark to inspire the rest of the delegation across all disciplines.
