The 7th edition of the Windfield Brathwaite Caribbean Schoolboys/girls and Juniors Boxing tournament will punch off at the National Gymnasium from Friday August 16. It is the brainchild of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), and according to GBA Technical Director Terrence Poole, one can expect pulsating action this weekend.
The tournament would see expanded participation in 2024, with Suriname, Grenada, and Antigua and Barbuda making their debut while Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, Barbados and hosts Guyana would be returning to the tournament.
With approximately 48 boxers registered to participate, GBA President Steve Ninvalle has reiterated the tournament’s objective of developing the sport in the region. On Thursday morning, in the Boardroom of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Ninvalle declared, “This is not basically about which country wins, it is about the development of boxing across the Caribbean; and there’s (no tournament) of its kind across this region and further afield. So, these youngsters that you’ve been looking at here, in the next 10 years they’ll be the representatives at the World Championships and at the Olympic Games.
Coaches and young pugilists posing with GBA President Steve Ninvalle and Technical Director Terrence Poole, MS, as they display their ‘game face’ ahead of the tournament
“In this tournament, there are no losers. We will all win because of the fact that the experience that you gain, it will make you a better athlete tomorrow,” he added.
Visiting Coaches Steven Benjamin and Frederick Field also spoke of the development prospects while thanking the GBA for continuing to host the event.
“Most of my boxers are from the grassroots, they’re pretty new. Most of them don’t have fights, and some second fight. So, we give thanks for Guyana, for having games like this to develop the young boxers. So, I send a message out there to the youths, nice to see things like this, I ask them to please put down the guns and pick up the gloves,” Grenada Coach Steven Benjamin shared.
A look at some of the faces that would be in battle this weekend
Frederick Field of Barbados remarked, “It is an honour for us to be here. Even though we have a small contingent, this experience is going to go a long way. As you rightfully said earlier, these are the boxers of the future; what we’re doing is setting the foundation here for the future. And also, as a Caribbean, we’re forming a camaraderie amongst ourself.”
This tournament would also the introduction of a new category, as GBA Technical Director Terrence Poole talked up this weekend’s action.
“It would be the first time that we’re introducing the invitational part of the tournament, where we’ll have senior or elite boxers from Guyana, Suriname or Grenada boxing on the card. Points would not be given to them as part of the competition; the competition is (for) schoolboys, juniors, youth. But for the exposure of the senior elite boxers, as Suriname was saying that’s what they need, we decided to invite them. It’s benefitting Suriname, Guyana and the region itself, so you can expect three nights of pulsating action,” Poole excitedly shared.
Boxing action would begin at 18:00hrs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening.
