92% of medalists come from Saint-Denis

An emotional welcome ceremony marked the return of the young athletes from Reunion and Saint-Denis from the 2025 Indian Ocean Youth Games in the Seychelles.

The Mayor of Saint-Denis, Éricka Bareigts, flanked by Stéphane Persé, the elected representative for sport, and Brigitte Adame, the elected representative, warmly congratulated the athletes on their performances.

The Reunion delegation won an impressive total of 138 medals, including 59 gold, 49 silver, and 30 bronze. Of these medalists, 92% came from Saint-Denis, a figure that illustrates the city’s investment in sports and youth infrastructure, according to the Mayor.

“Thank you to all those who support the participants every day and enable them to excel,” she said. She thanked supervisors, educators, families, and volunteers, emphasizing that the team spirit and passion of the young people contributed greatly to these successes.

This 13th edition took place from August 1 to 10, 2025. More than 1,100 participants, including around 700 young athletes, competed in various disciplines: athletics, football, basketball, judo, swimming, tennis, and other sports. The delegations came from the seven member islands: Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Réunion, the Comoros, Djibouti, and the host country, the Seychelles.

Each competition allowed the young people to showcase their talents and strengthen ties between the islands, according to the organizer. The delegations included: Mayotte with 161 people, Mauritius 235, Reunion 123 and Seychelles 120 athletes.