GBA U16 Championships: Vergenoegen impressive on home turf

Hosts Vergenoegen have captured ‘the best gym’ accolade, while the club’s trainer, Clifton Moore, and Forgotten Youth Foundation’s (FYF) Shakquain James have secured the respective ‘best coach’ and ‘best boxer’ awards in the inaugural West Demerara leg of the Guyana Boxing Association’s (GBA’s) U16 Championships.
The East Bank Essequibo team walked away with the overall title at the rice mill tarmac following a record of three wins and a defeat. Ezekiel Withwright defeated Teaka Narine of the Pocket Rocket Boxing Gym (PRBG) via decision in the 39-41kg schoolboys’ category;
Jason Fileen bested PRBG’s Trendy Forde in the 45-47kg schoolboys’ encounter, and Keyon Britton defeated Isiah Nurse of Rose Hall Jammers (RHJ) in the 48-50kg junior division. Vergenoegen’s only defeat occurred in the 34-36kg schoolboys division, as Rayon France lost to Roopesh Balgobin of Rose Hall Jammers (RHJ) via a decision.
Meanwhile, James defeated Terron Wintz via decision in their 63.5-67kg encounter in the youth division.
Acquisition of the new boxing ring, facilitated by the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport, allowed the GBA to begin decentralising the process of staging the event in the West Demerara region.
The annual initiative has formed the backbone of the GBA’s nursery programme, and with attainment of the new ring, would allow the association to transport the older equipment to the various venues for utilisation going forward.
Linden is slated to host the next leg of the event, and Berbice is scheduled to host the one thereafter. The complete list of results is stated below.

Complete Results
Schoolboys Division
20-22kg
Eron Cornelius (Pace & Power) vs Romario Stellingburg (Pace & Power) – Cornelius won via decision

34-36kg
Roopesh Balgobin (RHJ) vs Rayon France (Vergenoegen) – Balgobin won via decision

39-41kg
Ezekiel Withwright (Vergenoegen) vs Teaka Narine (Pocket Rocket) – Withwright won via decision

53-55kg
Lennox Lawrence (ALBG) vs Curtis McDonald (RHJ) – Lawerence won via decision

45-47kg
Jadon Fileen (Vergenoegen) vs Trendy Forde (Pocket Rocket) – Fileen won via decision

Junior Division
46-48kg

Okenwa Bushel (RHJ) vs Travis Cooke (Pocket Rocket) – Bushel won via decision

48-50kg
Keyon Britton (Vergenoegen) vs Isiah Nurse (RHJ) – Britton won via decision

Youth Division
63.5-67kg

Shakquain James (FYF) vs Terron Wintz (NABA) – James won via decision