33 MARCH 2015 | POTPOURRI
leading towards exams in order to focus on her studies. Juggling athletics with its intense training, constant travelling to participate in competitions away from home and studying at Post Secondary, as well as trying to build a path to an alternate career was causing a tiresome and stressful life for Joanna. What pushed her to not fully give up was the achievements and milestones she reached as an athlete, the accomplishments and rewards for her hard work fueled her and motivated her into going back. Unfortunately, Joanna retired from her career as a sprinter in 2008 following a persistent leg injury that was refusing to get better without prolonged rest. “The more I rested to heal my leg, the more time went by and I was getting older so I decided to stop and found myself never going back. I didn’t regret my decision as I had accomplished more than enough during my years as a sprinter. Sure I missed it, but it was time to move on”. And move on she did, into a new career that filled the void left by retiring from athletics. I’m sure you’d be quick to think she didn’t move too far away, on the contrary, she did. She left the track and moved on to hair brushes and make up brushes; these are now Joanna’s trade tools. Having always had a passion for styling hair, Joanna saw it as the perfect career choice, it’s easy to tell she’s the type of person who lives the life she loves, and loves the life she lives, by putting her energy and time into things that bring her joy. SPORTS PERSONALITY After retiring from athletics, Joanna went to Australia and enrolled into a three year Hairdressing and Make-Up course in the Melbourne based Sheila Baxter Institute for Hair & Beauty. Upon graduating, she came back to Seychelles to start her new career. She took her childhood passion for styling her sisters’ Emma Hoauareau-Motheé and Janice Houareau whenever they had a special place to go, & turned it into a career! An example of Joanna’s work can be seen on some of Potpourri’s recent covers where she was the make-up artist for the cover model. Quite impressive work if I may say so myself. She is truly a multi-talented individual. Following in her aunt’s footsteps, Gaelle Dubignon After two years of being a freelance beautician with establishments such as Ste. Anne Resort and Spa, Marco Pros and Direct Bookings as well as individual clients who are forever loyal to her, Joanna is currently in the process of acquiring her own salon while she still has one hundred percent of her time to spare as she has no children yet. When asked about whether she would like her future sons or daughters to pursue athletics like she did, her answer was “Yes, definitely yes! I feel that the involvement in sports is a very important aspect of a child’s life; even up to adolescence as it helps develop you in various ways. It provides you with a sense of responsibility among other things, this is one of the reasons I’m encouraging my niece Gaelle Dubignon, in the hopes that she might attain the level I did, maybe even be the one to break my two remaining records! And keep things in the family”. After spending half the time talking about work, I was curious to find out a little more about her lifestyle, and it was no surprise when I learnt that Joanna was truly the down to earth person I had pegged her to be, with a kind heart. Her idea of an ideal ‘fun-time’ is going to the beach, socialising with her family and friends, as well as spending quality time with her boyfriend Hans. Not being an athlete hasn’t changed much in Joanna as she is still to this day anti-smoking and anti-alcohol, which equally means she dislikes people who abuse the two amongst other drugs. She likes to keep to herself, in her own world, away from the constant gossip always going around the grapevine. She also believes in working hard for what you want and appreciating what you have. Although Joanna has stepped out of the athletic scene, she feels that the youth of today aren’t as dedicated to the cause, that they let too many negative distractions into their lives instead of the good. I couldn’t leave our little tete-a-tete without asking her if she has any words for the few aspiring athletes there to keep them on the right track, her words were: ´To succeed as an athlete you must first and foremost have the mindset to do it on your own without others. It all depends on you as in the end your successes and achievements are all your own”. So there you have it, Joanna Houareau, more than just a pretty face, a role model to all the aspiring female athletes and aspiring beauticians of Seychelles. From tracks, to brushes, she made it.