OFFICIALS and Athletes for Rugby, Boxing and Squash departed Guyana yesterday for the Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru, all hoping to be on the podium for their respective disciplines.

The Squash team of Mary Fung-A-Fat, Ashley Khalil and Taylor Fernandes will be in action from July 25 – 31. David Fernandes is the team’s manager, Juanita Fernandes is the official chaperone, and Ramon Chan-a-Sue will be the trio’s coach.

In Rugby, Claudius Butts, Lancelot Adonis, Richard Staglon, Peabo Hamilton, Vallon Adams, Patrick King, Jamal Angus, Godfrey Broomes, Avery Corbin, Dwayne Schroeder, Osie McKenzie, Ronald Mayers and Selwyn Henry will look to better their previous showing at the Pan Am games when they compete from July 26 – 28, and will have Sherlock Sam as their coach, Peter Green as the manager and Akeem Fraser as the physiotherapist.

Keevin Allicock is the lone boxer to attend the Pan Am Games this time around and will be in the ring during July 27 – August 2. Terrence Poole will serve as his manager/coach.

Meanwhile, prior to the team’s departure from the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Sam said much was learnt during Guyana’s disappointing run in the recently-concluded Rugby America’s North (RAN) tournament in the Cayman Islands, adding “We had a bad outing during the RAN 7s, but we came home and did some work and I am hoping that translates to wins because the Pan Am Games is definitely a higher standard.”

Sam, however, added that “I don’t think it’s something we can’t handle, so we are hoping that they rise to the occasion and do their best, no battle is too great.”

 Guyana is placed in Group A with the USA, Brazil and Chile, while Group B consists of Argentina, Canada, Uruguay and Jamaica.

The Green Machine, as they’re more popularly known, will kick off their Pan Am Games campaign against the USA on July 26. It will be their only game on the tournament’s opening day.

For the Squash players– Taylor Fernandes, Mary Fung-A-Fat and Ashley Khalil– their aim will be to better Nicolette Fernandes’ bronze medal performance at the 2011 games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

“The girls we are playing are in the top 50 and it will be great to see how we measure up against the top class players,” Fung-A-Fat told reporters.

Over in Boxing, Allicock, who recently returned from his stint in Cuba, is confident of success in Peru, telling reporters that he feels strong “so everything going forward for me is 100 per cent.”

Allicock’s Coach, the National Award-winning Terrence Poole, said “He learned a lot in Cuba and I am not seeing him returning to Guyana without a medal.”

Guyana has competed 15 times at the Pan Am Games which is held every four years (before the Olympic Games), winning a total of 18 medals – Two Gold, Four Silver and 12 Bronze.