Guyana has been officially identified as a future base for boxing camps and seminars and arrival of contingents from Barbados and Trinidad are imminent.
This is according to a release disseminated to the media yesterday by the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA).
According to the release, a five-member Barbadian contingent is scheduled to be in Guyana from June 3-13.
The team of four pugilists and a trainer has selected Guyana to serve as their base for their preparatory phase for the upcoming Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC) Games.
By the same token, a vastly larger Trinidad and Tobago contingent will also be utilizing the local training facilities and coaches during the month of July to prepare for the prestigious Caribbean Schoolboys and Junior championships in August on the local shores.
Further details on the respective contingents will be disclosed at a later time, aid the association.Steve Ninvalle, President of the GBA, posited that the decision taken by Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago to utilize the expertise, facilities, and personnel of the association as part of their regimen for the CAC Games, is a testament to the historic profile, portfolio and pedigree that has been attained by the entity within the English speaking Caribbean.
“This is a momentous moment for Guyanese boxing. The fact that nations have identified Guyana as a base for the staging of training camps is indicative of the advancement the association has made, and achieved in the discipline both from a personnel and infrastructure standpoint. We now possess two three-star coaches, a Cuban trainer and quality training partners in the form of world-ranked boxers which will be utilized by our visitors.”
He added, “This camp is in recognition of our collective labour to advance boxing which is not a random event. Guyana is the leading light in the English-speaking Caribbean, our results are evidence of such a status and our Caribbean brothers and sisters have opted to tap directly into that heritage and culture of achievements.
The GBA has conducted seminars for its Referee/Judges to bring them up to speed with the rule changes made by the International Boxing Association (IBA), the world’s governing body for the sport and the .association has held monthly competitions that have helped significantly in widening the pool of boxers now available for national duties.
Guyana has also hosted regional boxing events regularly which has helped to revitalize the sport locally and regionally.
“What Jamaica is for our track and field and football athletes, we strive and envision to match for Caribbean boxing, especially in the English-speaking region,” said Ninvalle.
