Some 17 local boxers will compete in the renowned Winfield Braithwaite Caribbean Schoolboys/Juniors Championship for the first time Friday at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue, with 16 of the aforementioned, set to make their international debuts.
The 17 tournament debutants, 16 of whom will be making their bow on the international circuit, are Joel Hinds, Markel Blue, Shemroy Wintz, Jofes Jackson, Matthew Thomas, Travis Sancho, Kenyon Hamilton, Chance Niles, Raheem Peters, Khumba Alexander, Ken Harvey, Ryan Rogers, Leon Albert, Arlington Johnson, Keyon Britton, Tianna Moore (female), and Roopesh Balgobin. Moore has international experience following her participation at the 2023 Organization of East Caribbean States (OECS) Championship.
As a breeding group for the association’s nursery, Guyana now boasts the largest list of debutants since the competition commenced back in 2016.
The monthly U16 Championships, held at the Andrew “Six Head” Lewis Gym in Albouystown, served as the GBA’s entry point into the laborious selection process. Combatants were shortlisted for further evaluation following the conclusion of the prior competition in July, and the team was ultimately selected as a direct consequence. The team will once again be supervised by GBA coaches Lennox Daniels, Sebert Blake, Clifton Moore, Cuba’s Francisco Roldon, and Technical Director Terrence Poole while encamped to conclude the preparatory phase. It includes participation from the Forgotten Youth Foundation, the Guyana Police Force, Andrew Lewis Gym, Rose Hall Jammers, Vergenoegen, and Pace and Power Boxing Gym.
Barbados, Grenada, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago are the countries that have formally announced their participation to date. Every time, Guyana has emerged as the overall winner.
Following are pen portraits of some members of the Guyana Boxing team
Guyana’s Official Fighter Profiles
Name: Shemroy Wintz
Age: 15
Weight: 64kg
Gym: Rose Hall Jammers
Stance: Southpaw
Experience: 2023
International Fight Record: N/A
International Medals: N/A
Winfield Braithwaite Appearances: Debut
Name: Jofes Jackson
Age: 15
Weight: 64kg
Gym: Rose Hall Jammers
Stance: Southpaw
Experience: 2023
International Fight Record: N/A
International Medals: N/A
Winfield Braithwaite Appearances: Debut
Name: Matthew Thomas
Age: 17
Weight: 51kg
Gym: Rose Hall Jammers
Stance: Southpaw
Experience: 2020 to present
International Fight Record: N/A
International Medals: N/A
Winfield Braithwaite Appearances: Debut
Name: Joshua Thambaran
Age: 16
Weight: 52kg
Gym: Rose Hall Jammers
Stance: Southpaw
Experience: 2015 to present
International Fight Record: 2-0
International Medals: 2 [Gold – OECS – 2023, Gold – Winfield Braithwaite – 2022]
Winfield Braithwaite Appearances: 1
Name: Eon Bancroft Jr
Age: 15
Weight: 63kg
Gym: Andrew Lewis Boxing Gym
Stance: Orthodox
Experience: 2020 to present
International Fight Record: 1-0
International Medals: 1 [Gold – Winfield Braithwaite – 2022]
Winfield Braithwaite Appearances: 1
Name: Keyon Britton
Age: 13
Weight: 41kg
Gym: Vergenoegen
Stance: Orthodox
Experience: 2021 to present
International Fight Record: N/A
International Medals: N/A
Winfield Braithwaite Appearances: Debut
