Kaieteur Sports – The Guyana Boxing Association has created history when the body sent a team to the World Junior’s Boxing Tournament, being held in Yerevan, Armenia. The team comprise of Caribbean junior champions Tiquan Sampson and Akeela Vancooten. Veteran coach Lennox Daniels is leading the team. The participation of the trio marks the first time that Guyana has been represented at the premiere nursery tournament, which is being run by the International Boxing Association (IBA). In photo, Vancooten (centre) is flanked by Sampson (right) and Coach Daniels.
Newsroom Sep 26, 2023
The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will officially stage the 2023 edition of the Andrew ‘Six Heads’ Lewis National Novices Championship from September 29 to October 1 at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.
The event, which will feature participation from notable gyms such as defending champion the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana Police Force, Forgotten Youth Foundation, Pace and Power, Rose Hall, Vergenoegen and Republican, will commence on a daily basis at 18:00h.
The medical assessment and weight-in will occur on September 28 at the National Gymnasium from 16:00h.
GBA President Steve Ninvalle declared that National Novices Championship is where the sport’s developmental journey begins.
Named after Guyana’s notable world champion, the tournament has evolved into a national scouting combine for the association and acts as a conduit and bridge in a structured and methodical process, Ninvalle said.
“Each tournament hosted under the umbrella of the GBA is underpinned by its own unique objectives, and the National Novices Championship is an exhibition of the nation’s potential for the future, which continues to indicate a positive consequence given Guyana’s empirical dominance of the region. The GBA continues to emphasise the importance of such competitions, events that have an enduring importance in the overall framework for the sport. As such, its impact and value cannot be questioned, much less understated, given the influence and impetus it has provided to the sport’s fraternity,” the GBA boss added.
Meanwhile, Terrence Poole, the Technical Director of the GBA, said: “This tournament is very important to the growth of the sport; it’s the beginning stage, where we identify the talents and abilities of the fighters and the potential they have to move forward in the sport. This is where we earmark talent for the future. We are expecting a large turnout for the tournament from the various gyms. Everyone comes with the intention to win, so I expect a very competitive event.”
The championship, which is staged in honour of the former world champion, who unfortunately died on May 4, 2015, in a vehicular accident, birthed the journey of numerous of the nation’s leading premier amateur pugilists..
Kaieteur News – As the 2023 Pan American Games’ approaches, the entire nation stands behind our five boxers, who are expected to participate in this year’s championship to be held in Santiago, Chile, from October 20 – November 5.
The Pan Am championship remains a very important card for local boxers competing on the international stage. Guyana, however would have garnered a lone silver medal along with seven bronze medals at the championship thus far, and will also be looking to do well in Santiago later next month.
The Guyana team comprising of Commonwealth bronze medalist Desmond Amsterdam, Olympian Keevin Allicock, World-ranked female boxer Alesha Jackman, Emmanuel Pompey and Joel Willamson are all set to deliver punches of excellence, showcasing their strength, skill, and determination on the international stage.
The team also includes promising female boxers, Alesha Jackman, who will compete in the lightweight and flyweight 66kg category, as well as AMBC Bronze medalist Desmond “Dynamite” Amsterdam who is scheduled to make a mark in the 79kg event.
In a recent visit to gym on Tuesday, Allicock shared his excitement, saying, “I am always proud to represent Guyana, and I will do my best to bring home a medal. Preparation has been good so far, we are currently like 45-50 percent confident at the moment but hopefully by the time we arrive in Cuba for the three-weeks training camp, our readiness will increase to 100 percent.”
Allicock is keen on capitalising on his vast experience to secure a spot in the Paris Olympics. Saying, “I’ve been in the boxing game for all my life but I think this time; things will go differently, in favour of me.”
He further stated, “We are training hard with Coach Roldan, and he is doing a pretty good job of working with us (the team) on our weaknesses.” Allicock also declared, he thinks having a team of five boxers, will indeed contribute to their success at this year’s championship.
On the other side of the pitch, the Guyana Boxing Association has been providing unwavering support to the athletes, ensuring they have access to top-notch coaching, as well as a designated facility to train.
National coach Terrance Poole, as well as Cuban Francisco Roldan and Lennox Daniels are tasked with getting the team fight ready.
Meanwhile, Cuban Coach Roldan stated in a brief comment, “We have a talented and dedicated group of boxers who have put in the hard work. We believe they have what it takes to make Guyana proud and qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.”