2 Mauritians Make Waves: Teeluck & Purahoo Head to Paris Olympics

In a historic milestone for Mauritian athletics, Anishta Teeluck and Ovesh Purahoo, two talented swimmers from the island, have been selected to represent Mauritius at the Paris Olympics through the “wild card” route.

The confirmation was received after a rigorous evaluation process by World Aquatics, the international governing body for aquatic sports.

The journey began when the Mauritius Swimming Federation (FMN) submitted the names of the two swimmers to World Aquatics, citing the principle of universality to secure their entry to the Games.

After verifying that Teeluck and Purahoo met the required criteria, World Aquatics issued a form to the FMN and the Mauritian Olympic Committee for signature.

The FMN and the Mauritian Olympic Committee signed the form, which was then sent back to World Aquatics. It was only on July 2nd that the FMN received confirmation of their selection for the Paris Olympics.

Teeluck will compete in the 200m backstroke event, where she holds the national record, while Purahoo will participate in the 100m freestyle event, where he currently holds the best time of the season with a time of 52.25 seconds.

Notably, both swimmers are currently training abroad. Teeluck is based in Italy, while Purahoo is pursuing his studies in Canada.

Their selection marked a significant achievement for Mauritian swimming, as they become the first representatives from their country to compete in the Olympic Games since 1992.

This historic milestone is a testament to the hard work and dedication of both swimmers, as well as the support of their federation and sponsors. The entire nation will be eagerly awaiting their performances at the Paris Olympics.

Source: l’Express