By Emmerson Campbell
There was no `Magic’ involved and the outcome was not a knockout or a point’s decision but a tie.
The race was for the Junior Sportsman of the Year award by the National Sports Commission and the judges were unable to choose between boxer Imran `Magic’ Khan and table tennis star Nigel Bryan.
In the end the judges decided to reward both young, rising stars.
“I feel good winning the award, I think I deserved it.
“I put out some good performances last year overseas and right here, I went to the Memorial Tournament in Barbados,, the ALBA Games in Venezuela and plus I won fights in Trinidad I’m proud of it,” Khan said of the award he received last Friday when the panel which included sports journalists met at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
It is award that the national Flyweight champion, ALBA Games bronze medalist and gold medalist at the Ronald Wilson Memorial tournament, will certainly treasure.
The Road-to-London Games pugilist, who was also named Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) Boxer-of-the-Year, is expected to leave shortly on a training stint in Wales.
Khan, 19, has won several bouts on Pro Am cards both locally and overseas is one of Guyana’s up and coming boxing stars.
During an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sport recently, the new Junior Sportsman-of-the -Year said that he is thankful and proud off his deserved accomplishment.
Khan, who had sustained a stab wound on his left arm last month, revealed that the wound is healed and he has resumed training in preparation for his International Boxing Association (AIBA) training camp stint in Cardiff, Wales from February 18 to March 10.
“The cut is healed but the doctors say don’t really go full steam, but I trained all week preparing for this stint in Cardiff.
“I am waiting on the visa, I know the camp will do a lot for my development and chances of doing well at the Olympics will depend on how I stand and the exposure I get from the training in Wales.
“I just want to go there learn and do my best,” he added.
Khan revealed that although he had a successful 2011, this year he plans to upstage that by doing well at the Olympic Box off in May in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil before heading to London to fulfill his dream of medaling at an Olympic Games.
Khan thanked Tournament Director of GABA and Amateur boxing national coach Terrence Poole, GABA’s president Steve Ninvalle, his personal coach from the Harpy Eagles gym James Walcott and his father for their past and present support.
In an invited comment Ninvalle said that Khan has improved by leaps and bounds in the past year and should serve as a model for other amateur boxers to emulate in and out the ring.
He added that the association will support him and any other boxer who shows discipline and commitment to the sport.
