Push-ups and papayas
The Seychelles is an Indian Ocean paradise of some 115 islands near Madagascar where wealthy foreign tourists flock to wallow in the warm turquoise sea. Despite fishing being the main local industry after tourism, many locals never learn to swim.
Didon’s family lives a half-hour drive from the ocean, in the village of La Misere — which ironically translates as Misery — one of the coolest spots on the main island, Mahe, and home to the rare and bizarrely named jellyfish tree.
Born in September 1994, Didon sometimes splashed in the sea as a child but never went out of his depth. Now he enjoys hearty ocean swims and has inspired his sister to get in the water.
He puts his rapid success down to doing push-ups and also the daily shots of vitamins from the mangoes and papayas he plucks from trees in his garden when he comes back from training.
“I’m strong,” he says, grinning. “I’m 13 but I’m doing the same time as some of the ones who are 14 and 18.”
Didon, who trains around four hours a day back home, will be up against tough competition in the 50 metres freestyle on Thursday, where his fastest rivals beat his qualifying time by 7 seconds. Yet he already has his eye on the 2012 Olympics, by which time he will have doubled his time in the sport.
... contd.
