THE Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will attempt an ambitious project next week. The association’s president, Steve Ninvalle, will make a bid to walk 100 miles within 48 hours. The reason? To raise funds to send a team of boxers to the Caribbean Development tournament in Barbados.
The tournament started in Guyana last year and had 13 countries participating. The host team won the most medals.
“This is the most important and prestigious tournament in the region. For some reason sponsorship is unbearably slow even though we have written to all and sundry. It is hoped we would have a better response from the general public,” Ninvalle declared.

“We also hope that it would raise awareness of the sport of boxing which pound-for-pound has done better than any other.”
The walk is scheduled for December 2 to 4 and will commence in Corentyne, Berbice and end in Georgetown. The hope is that it can realise a further $2M needed to get the team of 13 boxers, five referee/judges and three coaches to the Mecca of Caribbean tournaments.
The walk has already produced results as USA-based promoter Seon Bristol has pledged $1 000 for every mile covered. In addition K. Juman-Yassin, president of the Guyana Olympic Association, has handed over $500 000 to assist the team’s travel to Barbados.

Yassin has also promised to accompany Ninvalle for a part of the walk. President of the Guyana Table Tennis Association, Godfrey Monroe and Athletics Association of Guyana Aubrey Hudson have pledged to be a part of the walking party.
Next week’s walk will be the second time that the GBA president attempts a 100-mile trek. In November 1994 he teamed up with amputee William France to cover the distance in order to raise funds for France to purchase a prosthesis.