National boxing coach Wincel Thomas for the next few months will have a busy schedule working with a group of prospective amateur boxers. But already he has lamented how awkward and uncoordinated some of them are at present.
In other instances, however, he noted that some of the students have raw talent and if they commit to the programme they can become excellent fighters. He identified two girls from Good Intent and a boy from Goed Fortuin.
Thomas observed that this is so because many of the parents over in the Bagotville, Goed Fortuin and Wales communities seldom have their children involved in physical activities or sport.
According to Thomas, who is working with children under 16 years old, he will continue working with them to ensure that the objectives he started out with on January 6 are achieved.
Therefore Thomas, who was appointed to the position last year, said that there will be an evaluation session in the form of an under-16 tournament on February 20. This event will also be held to usher in the resuscitation of two gyms at Goed Fortuin and Bagotville and the commissioning of another at Good Intent.
Thomas, who was a former amateur champion, said that all the work that was done over the last month will be under review and then he will be proceeding from there.
In the meantime, Thomas reported yesterday that preparatory work has started with Theresa London and Carolann Bess for the World Youth and Junior championships in Antalya, Turkey from April 18-29. According to Thomas the three boxers have been running three miles every morning and then they go through drills and rudimentary techniques.
However, he noted that the intense work will begin on Monday morning and he will be working fulltime with the two boxers but will be offering support to the two resource persons on the West Coast whenever they require assistance.
Thomas, who will be accompanying the boxers to Turkey, also noted that the resource persons are not very qualified but after he returns from Turkey GABA will be conducting Level One training to upgrade coaches.
The boxers were chosen two weeks ago by the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) Selection Committee. London, 15, is the daughter of former world heavyweight champion Pamela London and fights out of the Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF) gym while Bess, 15, is a junior flyweight.
The world governing body for amateur boxing, International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA), will be standing the entire cost for participants of the programme. The international body required that the participants be born between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 1996 for the youth and junior championships. This initiative comes at a critical time, especially since the association is working on lifting the level of the sport in the country.
When Stabroek Sport caught up with the two boxers yesterday afternoon at the FYF gym where they were going through their paces they expressed confidence ahead of their international engagement. The petite Bess, who is a southpaw, said that she knows she will be successful since she is “training hard to fight easy.”
They were doing strength training work with light weights under the watchful eyes of Thomas and former world champion London, who is also a coach at the FYF.
Part of her inspiration lies in the fact that her mother is deceased and she will be dedicating her success to her mother while in Turkey. Further, Bess noted that her father Andrew Quallis, who was also a boxer, has also been an inspiration.
The Dolphin Secondary School student said that she is not feeling nervous because her training with Thomas is intense.
London, who attends the Community College, said that she is training hard and she is looking forward to some of her best performances in the ring. The undefeated orthodox fighter said that she intends to take up the sport and one-day win a title like her mother.
She assured that she will be “up to the challenge” in Turkey and will be looking to gain new experiences there.
When Stabroek Sport spoke with coach London she said while she feels proud about her daughter’s selection she is constantly reminding her of doing the right thing in the ring. London stressed that conditioning is the key before Turkey but also urged her daughter not to rush her fights.
“Feel your opponent and get a feel of the ring and then do what you have to do,” London was quoted as telling her daughter. She also added, “keep your composure in the use of your jab – do the right things.”
