Albouystown’s Gems: Shemar Halley, focused on excelling in the ring

By Jemima Holmes

Despite the stereotypes that are often associated with the Georgetown community known as Albouystown, like a Trojan horse, the area holds more than what meets the human eye.
Suppressed by crime and po

verty, a positive light emerged from Albouystown in the late 1980s with the rise of Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis, one of Guyana’s most prolific boxers to date. Lewis’s stellar career eventually paved the way for a meaningful sport to be introduced into the community, giving young boys and girls an avenue to channel their struggles or even rage.
To date, the community has produced some of the best young boxers, with the likes of Keevin Allicock and Alesha Jackman taking the amateur world by storm. However, through the work from gyms like the Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF), Albouystown is never short of boxing talent.

Shemar Halley happens to be one of those youths who grew up in the neighbourhood, but refused to fall prey to the negative activities around him. Like many other troublesome young boys, Halley would find himself in numerous scuffles, and it was not until his final year of schooling at Charlestown Secondary that he decided to take fighting seriously, but this time in the ring.
While the then 16-year-old found himself in the similar situation one too many times, he shared how he made the decision to have a change of scenery.
“Growing up, I used to get into a lot of fights. So, I just sat down a day and said, ‘You know, it’s better I join boxing. And through boxing I’ve achieved a lot, and I think it was a good step for me. I have a lot of support, and I haven’t disappointed thus far,” Halley shared.
In his exclusive interview with Guyana Times Sport, the boxer went on to share another reason why he took up the sport.
“I got into the sport because I grew up in a very negative community, and boxing was one of the ways I could have channelled that negativity into a good sport. I’d say it’s a very difficult sport, it requires a lot of discipline and focus,” the boxer went on to say.
In July of last year, many heads were turned at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue, as a new talent stepped onto the boxing scene. It was Shemar Halley, competing for the first time in the Andrew Lewis National Novices’ Championships.
Tasked with cutting down Guyana Defence Force Boxer Kevon Paul in the Junior welterweight division, Halley was quick, alert, and had impressive shot accuracy as he won a unanimous decision fight. When the weekend-long competition was done, Halley was adjudged the best boxer in the youth category.
Reflecting on his first national competition and his decision to make sure he was adequately trained for his first appearance, the 19-year-old explained that it was probably his most treasured achievement.
“My best win was my first major tournament in the novice. That was a competition I was training for two years in advance. When I joined boxing, I wanted my first attempt at novices to be a success, and when I won that tournament, it was a relief for me,” he noted.
There is no doubt that the youngster has a bright future ahead, with the likes of Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle and Seon Bristol singing his praises last year. Looking towards his future in the sport, Halley detailed some of his goals to this publication.
“Within the next two years, I would like to go to the Pan American Games, get more exposure, get more experience. I would also like to participate in the South American Games, and after that, I’d like an opportunity to go to the Olympics,” he said.
But his Olympic dream is about more than just winning a few fights.
“I want to medal, but not just to do for capturing a gold medal’s sake. To bring back a gold medal to your country would be a joy that everyone could relate to.”
With the Coronavirus pandemic currently bringing the world to its knees, Halley shared how he is coping with staying fit and ring-ready.
“With the COVID-19, I cannot get to access the training facilities such as the bodybuilding gym and the training gym; so what I would do is wake up around 4.30 in the morning, I would shadow box, I would skip, I have some weights to lift, and I go for a run every morning,”
Like many athletes who have tasted success, the young boxer has a long list of persons to whom he is grateful.
“First out of everyone or everything, I would like to give God thanks, cause without God I couldn’t even lift a finger. And I must give God thanks for providing individuals like Mr. Sebert Blake, Joseph Murray, my mother, my father, my siblings and my gym mates. And also my brother, who is my number one supporter,”
He also expressed his gratitude for a few corporate sponsors who have made his participation possible.
“I would also like to thank my sponsors, MVP Sports, Giftland OfficeMax and West Indies Sports Complex. They have played a major role in my participation in the sport,” he said.
Without a doubt this young man has all the tools to achieve his dreams, and as he would have already proven, the community from which he hails will not be a detriment to him.