In an effort to resharpen the tools of its boxers and more importantly, the four potential Olympians, the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) yesterday dispatched a letter to the Ministry of Health seeking permission to restart its activities.
This is according to President of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle.
Ninvalle disclosed to Stabroek Sport that the association is hoping that the letter “is favourably considered so that we can move into the first phase of getting Guyana back to being the number one territory in the Caribbean.”
Sport, along with other sectors of society, were halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the green light was given last month for the return of sports activities, prompting the GBA to pen the letter for approval.
Said Ninvalle “We are expecting to recommence activities in the boxing fraternity soon, so we have written to the Minister of Health (Dr. Frank Anthony) asking for approval to safely restart basic training in the boxing fraternity and we have also planned the commencement of training for our four elite boxers.”
He added “This fraternity needs to get back on its feet, as you know there are a number of activities that are planned for next year including the Olympic Qualifiers and the Olympic Games.”
The Olympic Qualifiers for the Americas is scheduled to be held in May, 2021. A host country has not yet been confirmed.
The quartet of Keevin Allicock, Colin Lewis, Desmond Amsterdam and Dennis Thomas started a three-month training stint in Cuba last December ahead of the Olympic Qualifiers which were scheduled for Argentina in March.
However, the pandemic grounded almost everything to a halt and even forced the four boxers to agonizingly remain in Cuba for an extended 126 days due to the closure of airports.
Fast forward to the present, once approval is granted, the boxers will restart training with the goal of getting past the Olympic Qualifiers and representing Guyana in Tokyo, Japan in the sport which has brought Guyana its lone Olympic medal.
