Gavin Singh showers Cave, D’Anjou with praise ahead of IMMAF World Championship debut

By Rawle Toney in Abu Dhabi (compliments: Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Federation/National Sports Commission)

PRESIDENT of the Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Federation (GYMMA), Gavin Singh, is hailing the country’s debut at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) World Championships, today, as an historic milestone not just for his organisation but for Guyana.

The Golden Arrowhead will be flying high outside the Jiu-Jitsu Arena in Zayed Sports City in the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi, where Corwin D’Anjou and Ijaz Cave will become the first Guyanese to feature at an IMMAF World Championship, when the global governing body for amateur Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) host its prestigious event.

Despite the GYMMA being less than two years old (18 months to be exact), behind Singh and his hard-working executive committee members, Guyana has received International accreditation to be affiliated to the IMMAF; an accomplishment the GYMMA president attributed to a collective approach at managing the sport in Guyana.

“Henry Forde said, working together is the beginning, staying together is progress; working together is the success. I can only encourage our stakeholders to let us continue to work together for the success of Mixed Martial Arts in Guyana and throughout the world,” Singh related.

D’Anjou is expected to come up against Ireland’s Adam McEnroe in the Men’s Welterweight (77.1Kg) division. Cave, on the other hand, got a ‘bye’ to the Round-of-16 in the Men’s Light Heavyweight (93Kg) category.

When the two step into the Octagon, Singh believes it will be an “historic day for our country in sports, specifically Mixed Martial Arts.”

“I’m truly honoured and humbled to have served and very much appreciative to our coaches, Bruce Fraser, Troy Bobb and the team leaders, for the effort and commitment that they have imputed into making this happening,” Singh said.

He added, “Special thank you to our vice president, Troy Phillips, who has been leading the administrative team. Sherwin Sandy, Dr Sawan Jagnarain, Romel St Hill, La Toya Collins and Roland Fanfair, for the hard work, dedication and commitment they have inputed in ensuring that this is possible.”

The IMMAF is headed by former British Olympic (1984) and World Champion (1987) Judo Bronze medallist, Kerrith Brown, who Singh said has been very supportive in Guyana being fully compliant to the International body and being fully accredited for the country’s first IMMAF event.

However, while Singh is happy to see Cave and D’Anjou in Abu Dhabi, it did come with some amount of sadness for the GYMMAF president.

Initially, the Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Federation (GYMMAF) had announced a six-man team to attend the prestigious event in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital city, however, as Executive member, Dr Sawan Jagnarain explained, following a mishap in several important test that had to be done overseas, Webster McRae, Akeem Fraser, Christopher James and John Campayne will be left behind.

According to Dr Jagnarain, the GYMMAF had solicited the services of a lab in the United States of America, since some of the required testing of the athletes that are mandatory by the IMMAF, could not have been facilitated in Guyana.

Dr Jagnarain said the athletes blood samples were taken and sent in December but up to crunch time, the ‘Lab’ related that they had encountered some technical difficulty and only two of the samples were done, that of Cave and D’Anjou.

Singh apologized to the obviously dejected fighters, while encouraging them to stay the course and focus on other up-coming international engagements, one of which will be the IMMAF Pan American Championships.