Add another Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors Tournament trophy to Team Guyana’s cabinet.
Thanks to a table leading eight gold medals and best boxer performances by Leon Moore Jr and Richard Howard, Team Guyana was able to retain the Pepsi Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors Boxing Tournament trophy when the curtain came down on the event on Sunday night at the National Gymnasium.
Team Trinidad finished with two gold medals from the gloves of Blessing Waldropt (lightweight) and Faith Ramnauth (flyweight). Jamaica snared a gold thanks Britney McFarlane (female best boxer) during the third edition of the three-night international fixture. Team St Lucia failed to capture any top podium spots.
The young local pugilists were however in a class of their own, winning in different fashions, whether it be pulling out nail biters or winning emphatically.
Moore Jr., showed that he was the unanimous choice for the best boxer (junior) accolade putting on a boxing clinic. On the opening night, Moore and Trinidad’s Nyrell Hussein put on arguably the most entertaining and punch-filled bout of the tournament.
The standout duo stood toe-to-toe and traded blows which excited the small but vocal crowd. After flooring Hussein in the second round, Moore then went on to win on the scorecards. He then returned on Sunday night and dispatched Ashwaney Lawes of Jamaica in round two after the referee stopped the lopsided contest.
Howard was also in the winner’s row after knocking out the lights of Trinidad’s Abdool Taylor in the third and final round of their sea-saw affair.
Howard landed a brutal right hand to the chin of a winded Taylor who dropped and lay on the canvas motionless for several nervous seconds. Ramona Agard who earned the best referee award waved off the bout and Howard took home the gold and the best boxer (school boy) trophy.
Other gold medalists for Guyana included: Christopher Romeo (, Shaquille Wright (lightweight), Emmanuel Pompey
(welterweight/schoolboy), Alesha Jackman, Francis Sukhu (flyweight) and Christopher Moore (welterweight/junior).
Note: Team Guyana has dominated the event since it started in 2016.
Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Boxing Association, Steve Ninvalle stated that the incident free, three-day competition was a successful one. He added that the GBA and the other participating nations, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Jamaica look forward to the staging of fourth edition next year.
The GBA head also heaped praises on DDL, the NSC, GOA, Hand in Hand Insurance and others for their continued support of the association and its ventures. (Emmerson Campbell)
