The Government of Guyana stands ready to support local pugilists and the auspicious endeavors of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA).
This is according to Director of Sport, Christopher Jones, who witnessed the successful hosting of the four-night Caribbean Boxing Championships (CBC) which concluded last Sunday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Following the event, which attracted in excess of 130 boxers and officials from nine territories, Jones reiterated government’s commitment to the development of the fistic sport – which has won the nation its lone Olympic medal – the young and upcoming talent, and the local association.
“Like it has been said many times before, when it comes to an Olympic medal, Guyana stands a great chance of medaling in boxing as opposed to any other discipline. Government is willing to lend its support in whatever way it can, we have the facilities, we have the talent, Guyana is ready,” Jones said.
Streamed live for the first time, the four-night event dubbed the ‘Boxing Olympics of the Caribbean’, was staged for the second time at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Besting Trinidad, Barbados and the other visitors, Team Guyana won the coveted country trophy and one year’s bragging rights but going forward, the championships could potentially pack a bigger punch for the Caribbean and its pool of talented boxers.
Steve Ninvalle, president of the GBA had recently applied to the International Boxing Association (AIBA) for the Caribbean Championships to be made a qualifier for the Pan Am Games.
Jones said that if the CBC becomes a Pan American Games qualifier, Guyana would be ready to host the inaugural fixture.
“We have to take into consideration the fact that Guyana was not slated to host these championships and the mere fact that within a short space of time, the local boxing association was able to organise such a high level championship shows that the President, Steve Ninvalle and his executive have the ability and the capacity,” he said. “With government’s support in organising any international tournament of this standard, I am certain that hosting a Pan Am qualifier wouldn’t be a challenge for us because we would have just recently demonstrated our ability and capacity to do so,” he added.
He continued “The four nights that I witnessed, there were a lot of people coming out. It was a paid event but people had no issue with paying to come to the event and I am certain if it was more widely publicised, we would have seen even a greater turn out.
But the numbers I would have seen tells you that there is a hunger for this high level of boxing. I must commend Mr Ninvalle and his executive because they have been doing a tremendous job with these youngsters. I know they have been doing well but the four nights I was present, I witnessed for myself the high level of performances by our youngsters.”
If Ninvalle’s application is successful, the annual fixture which was birthed in Guyana four years ago will be a qualifier for the Pan American Games. That will be a unanimous victory for Guyana and the Region.
Notes: Guyana topped the table with 10 gold medals. Trinidad finished with four gold medals while Barbados, Guadeloupe, St Lucia and St Maarten finished with one apiece.
Guyana’s prized pugilist, Keevin Allicock was named the overall best boxer of the event. (Emmerson Campbell)
