Cuban boxing coach, Francisco Hernandez Roldan is back in Guyana for a second stint.
Roldan, who left Guyana after a three-year tenure in 2015, has a clear mission – clinch Tokyo 2020 Olympic berths.
During a press briefing yesterday at Olympic House, it was disclosed that the 51 year-old is primarily tasked with preparing the country’s top boxers for the PanAmerican Games and once they qualify, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), according to its president K.A. Juman Yassin, will exclusively foot the bill for Roldan’s presence here.
“The Guyana Olympic Association would be footing the full bill for his stay in Guyana,” Yassin disclosed.
“It is my expectation and hope that our boxers will qualify for the Pan American Games in July.”
The Qualifying tournament will be held in Nicaragua during the first week of April.
Yassin stated that once the Guyanese boxers qualify for the PanAmerican Games, Roldan will remain to prepare them for that event.
“Depends on how they perform, they may or may not win, but if they don’t win, then we will see what we can do as regards Tokyo. Because after the PanAm Games, there will be other qualifying tournaments. I also wish to make an appeal to the boxers because we are putting things in place for them. It is for them now to make that sacrifice to ensure that they do what they have to do so that they can benefit from the training Mr. Roldan will give to them,” Yassin stated.
President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle said that Roldan’s work programme will take effect almost immediately as a meeting with the Technical Director of the GBA, Terrence Poole has already been scheduled.
Ninvalle added that with Roldan’s expertise, the talents of the young boxers can be fast tracked.
“It is the worst-kept secret that we’ve been improving, maybe not leaps and bounds, but we’ve been improving, and now with Mr. Roldan joining our developmental crew, I think the development of the sport would be much speedier.”
Roldan, in brief remarks, expressed gratitude to the two bodies for making his return possible. He promised to “work very hard” and give his “best to the boxers.”
During Roldan’s first stint, he was responsible for overseeing pugilists that represented the Golden Arrowhead at the Commonwealth Games, the World Championships, the South American Youth Games, the Pan Am Qualifiers and a Goodwill Tournament.
