“The future of boxing is right here at these tables”.
So said Seon Bristol last evening during a celebratory dinner at the Mirage in recognition of the success of the local pugilists following the Winfield Braithwaite Caribbean Boxing Tournament.
Bristol, Manager of the team, along with the coaches, officials and the top brass of the Guyana Boxing Association lauded the performances of the pugilists who earned seven gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze medal at the three-night event which concluded last Sunday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
The boxers’ heroics earned Team Guyana the coveted Best Country award (23 points) and local standout, Jeremiah Duncan snagged the Best Boxer accolade.
The future prospects were head and shoulders above the visiting contingents, Bahamas (nine points), Trinidad and Tobago (eight points) and St Lucia which finished with five points.
Thanks in large part to wins by Duncan and other prized fighters like Eon Bancroft and Emanuel Pompey, Team Guyana’s unbeaten streak continued for the event which started five years ago.
President of the association, Steve Ninvalle stated that during his tenure, “This tournament has been my happiest.”
The tournament is the brainchild of Ninvalle and he duly praised the dedication of the coaches and the referee/judges. “It is only through hard work, dedication and tenacity of everyone here that we were able witness the pride of how our boxers represented us so magnificently.”
Ninvalle added that “Our future is on a better footing than it was a few years ago.”
That was evident since it was the first time that Guyana hosted an international tournament which featured only local officials.
Said Ninvalle “We are no longer dependent on other countries to fulfill our desires. We can do that on our own, the success of this tournament is a collective effort of the executive, the coaches, the officials and the boxers.”
He added, “I know that in the next five to 10 years, Guyana will not be worried about where our medals are coming from.”
Ninvalle concluded by stating that next year, the tournament will be held on a grander scale and in the not too distant future, the event will cater for boxers not only from the Caribbean but further afield.
