Table tennis star, Chelsea Edghill, along with boxing standout, Keevin Allicock will be Guyana’s first representatives to spring into action when their respective disciplines got underway at the XXXII Olympiad being staged in Tokyo, Japan.
Following the glitzy opening ceremony yesterday where Edghill was one of Guyana’s Flag Bearers, the 24-year-old was scheduled to pick up her racquet and head to the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium to do battle against Fiji’s Sally Yee in the preliminary round.
The match served off from 09:00hrs in Tokyo (8pm local time last night), which is 13 hours ahead of Guyana.
Meanwhile, Guyana’s best bet for a medal at the Games, Allicock, is scheduled to take the ring at 19:06hrs (6:076hrs today) to match gloves with nemesis, Alexy De la Cruz of the Dominican Republic.
Speaking to Allicock’s Coach, Sebert Blake who is in Tokyo yesterday, Blake divulged that De la Cruz, a sparring partner of Allicock at the high-level camp in Russia prior to the Games, is a worthy opponent but he expects his charge to be victorious.
“Keevin is determined. He is strong, he is fit and Keevin is ready and raring to go. Guyana, expect big things from Keevin, he is ready to go,” said Blake.
Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle stated that “Keevin has all the tools to withstand anything that this Olympics can offer. It is all over to him now. We have done our bit, we have done what was required and now it’s all left up to him.”
The Director of Sport added “It’s only Keevin who will be in that ring, but I am comfortable with the focus and the improvement he has shown. We wish him well. We will be rooting for him.”
Guyana’s other representatives at the Games which was postponed last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, include Track and Field athletes, Emanuel Archibald (100m), Jasmine Abrams (100m) and Aliyah Abrams (400m) along with Swimmers, 15 year-old Aleka Persaud and Andrew Fowler, Guyana’s other Flag Bearer at the Opening Ceremony.
Fowler (100m freestyle) and Persaud (50m freestyle) kick off their Olympic debut campaign on July 27 and July 30 at the Tokyo Aquatic Centre. Jasmine Abrams, Archibald and Aliyah Abrams will get into their blocks on July 30, 31 and August 3 respectively at the Olympic Stadium.
