…fighter to get monthly stipend with increase based on performance

THE Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) yesterday pledged their financial support for one of Guyana’s brightest prospects in the boxing ring, Keevin Allicock.
Allicock, Guyana’s silver medallist at the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas, is setting his sights on the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan as the Caribbean’s top flyweight fighter.

The 18-year-old was the lone Guyanese to pick up a medal at the games in Nassau, but believes that it’s time to shift his attention to the next Olympic Games.
“The GOA was extremely happy with young Keevin Allock’s performance in the Bahamas. I was impressed with him as an attacking fighter, I was impressed with him as a very mannerly young man and I saw a lot of dedication with him and as a result, I really feel that he could go very far” GOA president, KA Juman-Yassin, told the media.
“The GOA as a result, will be providing him for the month of September, the sum of $70,000 and this is to go towards his training, feeding etc.,” the long-standing GOA head explained.

However, Yassin also announced that after September, based on the recommendation of Allicock’s coach Sebert Blake and president of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Steve Ninvalle, the fighter will be given $40,000 monthly which will increase based on his performance.
“What we’re going to ask Keevin to do is continue working hard and do no stray” said Yassin.

Ninvalle praised the move by the GOA, adding “this tells us that we’re going down the right path, and hopefully we could have more of our athletes benefiting. If we should take this from an holistic way, it will tell you that what Mr. Allicock is getting right now, he will be earning more than what a local professional fighter gets within a year. We hope that many other members of the boxing fraternity can benefit in the future.”
Meanwhile, Allicock, while also thanking the GOA for being in his corner, also made a call for other sportsmen and women to receive similar support.

“I know I will do better at my next tournament and you all could look forward for much more from me. This is the support I’ve needed for a long time and I finally got it, so it’s going to be a lot of hard work and focus because I cannot complain about where my meal will be coming from, so I think I have to give it all” said Allicock.
Along with Christopher Moore, Allicock will be stepping into the ring at the South American Games in Chile.

Looking ahead, Yassin also announced that in September, “Allicock will not be the only one to benefit from the GOA. We will be looking at our elite athletes and also those young athletes to see what funding we could do for them. We have several athletes who are outside of Guyana and we want to assist them.”
“We have a new Minister of Sports and I believe he is the second real sports person who has been appointed Minister of Sports. For me the first was Roy Fredericks and now we have Dr. George Norton. I expect a lot of good things from him” Yassin said.

The GOA top brass challenged the Government of Guyana, stating “the GOA is prepared to put in a pool, at least $5M and I’m asking that the Government match this amount and we will use this money to help our athletes and coaches. We need to make our coaches almost full time. So I open this invitation for the new ministry of sports to come on board and I think we could go a far way for this year with $10M.”