The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) yesterday named a five-member boxing team for next month’s Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.
The team to compete in the October 20th–November 5th Games comprises Desmond Amsterdam [79 KG], Keevin Allicock [57 KG], Emmanuel Pompey [92 KG], Joel Williamson [63.5 KG], and Alesha Jackman [66 KG].
Much will depend on Amsterdam and Allicock who are the two most accomplished boxers in the squad.
Amsterdam, the current Sportsman of the Year had an impressive 2022 outing winning bronze medals at the AMBC Elite Championships in Ecuador and at the South American Games last year in Paraguay.
He also reached the quarter finals of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
This year at the AMBC championships in Cali, Colombia Amsterdam went one better, winning a silver medal last month.
Allicock, a three time gold medal winner at the Caribbean championships won a silver medal, won a bronze medal at last year’s South American Games.
Williamson, who is related to Howard Eastman, at 26, knows that he has to make the most of the opportunities that come his way and justify the faith that the GBA has in him.
Emmanuel Pompey, who lost in the quarterfinals at this year’s CAC games in El Salvador will look to redeem himself while Alesha Jackman will look to show the GBA what she learnt at the World Boxing championships in India earlier this year.
The fight squad, which is one of the largest in recent participation in the competition, will be under the guidance of Technical Director of the GBA, Terrence Poole, who will oversee the technical staff, which includes Cuban coach Franciso Roldan.
“This is the beginning of an important journey in our objective to qualify for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France,” said president of the GBA and Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle.
“Traditionally, boxing has flown the Golden Arrowhead with aplomb at this regional juncture. As such, the GBA has formulated a rigorous training regimen to achieve its ambitions,” he declared.
GBA Technical Director Poole said yesterday that training has already commenced.
“Training has officially commenced since last Monday, though it has been a continuous process. They are working, and though it might not be at full intensity, they will eventually get to that required level, as we get closer to the tournament. Training occurs daily, that is, Monday to Friday from 4 p.m. and on Sundays at 10 a.m. at the Andre “Six Head” Lewis gym in Albouystown. We also train on Sundays.
Boxing will be staged from October 21st–27th at the La Reina Community Sports Center and the competition will serve as a qualifier for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, as the respective finalists in each division, will secure automatic berths.
Ninvalle said that international participation such as the upcoming Pan Am Games was important as it was a step leading up to Olympic qualification.
“International competition remains a significant element of our developmental agenda. The Pan American Games are at the forefront of this marriage given its sporting significance to the region,” he declared.
Poole agreed.
“I think it is a great opportunity to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. While they have other qualifiers that will occur, this is an easy chance for the fighters to qualify. It’s a good opportunity, and the boxers should make the most of it,” he said.
Guyana’s previous participation in this prestigious event occurred in 2019 with Allicock being the discipline’s only representative at the Lima, Peru Games.
Clive Atwell secured Guyana’s last medal in the discipline of boxing at the 2007 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He won bronze in the 54-kg segment. Prior to that, Guyana won two bronze medals in the 1991 Games in Havana, Cuba, via Poole [81 KG] and Stephan Rose [51 KG].
Overall, Guyana has won one silver and seven bronze medals in the history of the event, which started in 1951. This is second only to Jamaica in the English-speaking Caribbean, which has captured a total of 11 medals.
