THE Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) has selected 16 boxers to commence training for possible selection to a team to represent this country at the 2012 London Olympics. Heading the list is 2010 CAC participant Bert Braithwaite of GDF.
GABA president Steve Ninvalle said that 10 elite and six youths have been drafted and will commence training on April 18 under a team of six coaches. The programme is being dubbed the Road to London.
Those boxers selected are: (Elite) Bert Braithwaite (light welterweight), Eion Bancroft (welterweight), Ron Smith (middleweight), Markember ierre (light heavyweight) and Samuel Primo (heavyweight). The aforementioned boxers are from the GDF gym. Junior flyweight Troy Billey (Bauxite Bombers),
Dexter Wray (junior flyweight) Ricola gym, Stephon Gouveia (lightweight) Harpy Eagles gym, Nankumar Singh (lightweight) Republican gym and Kelsie George (middle weight) Pocket Rocket gym are the other elite fighters.
Gangly flyweight Imran Khan of Harpy Eagles gym leads the youths. Keeve Allicock (bantamweight) Forgotten Youth Foundation gym, Marvin Ageday (light welterweight), Laured Stewart (welterweight) of the FYF gym, Richard Williamson (flyweight) Pocket Rocket gym and Benjamin Henry (bantamweight) Port Kaituma make up the team.
Veteran trainer Terrence Poole is the head coach and he will be assisted by Lennox Daniels, Seibert Blake, Wincel Thomas, Carl Franklyn and James Walcott. According to Ninvalle fighters can be dropped from or added to the team as the coaches deem necessary.
Guyana’s only Olympic medal was won at the 1980 Moscow Games when Michael Parris secured bronze.