The standout bantamweight who has been fighting his whole life for this moment, was successful in punching his ticket to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan this summer via the ranking system.
The historic news was confirmed yesterday by President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle.
Allicock’s qualification ends the 25-year drought for pugilists representing the Golden Arrowhead at the showpiece event.
John Douglas, the nation’s flag bearer for the 1996 Olympic Games, was the last boxer to represent Guyana at the Games. Douglas lost in the first round of his light heavyweight clash with Germany’s Thomas Ulrich, who went on to snare a bronze medal.
In an immediate reaction, Allicock, who turned 22 on Sunday, told Stabroek Sport yesterday that, “This is something that I dreamed about since I started boxing at the age of six. This is really and truly a blessing. I always saw myself boxing at the Olympic Games representing my country and making us proud.”
Guyana’s lone Olympic medal (bronze) came from the fistic sport when Michael Parris reached the semi-finals at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.
Allicock’s aim in Tokyo is also to climb the podium steps and perhaps sing along the National Anthem also.
“ I want to make history” said the Youth Commonwealth Games silver medalist. “We have a bronze medal, but the goal is to win the gold at the Olympics. The main focus is to aim to the sky and not the clouds.”
Allicock thanked his family, his pastors, his Coach, Sebert Blake, The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Guyana Olympic Association and Ninvalle for the support he has received throughout his exemplary amateur career.
Ninvalle, who congratulated Allicock on his qualification, described the moment as ‘joyous’ and stated that there will need to be an all-hands-on-deck approach to better the prized fighter’s chance at medalling.
“This is a joyous moment for boxing in Guyana and underlines that our executive has been on the right track. It has been 25 years since we had someone qualify for the Olympics and we will need all aboard to increase his chances of medalling or even bettering the bronze that we won in 1980.”
Ninvalle added “Congrats to Keevin who celebrated his 22nd birthday a few days ago. From a personal stand point I was confident that he would have qualified. He now joins boxers from Antigua, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago as CARICOM representatives in Tokyo” he concluded. (Emmerson Campbell)
