Guyana’s lone Olympic medallist off to Orealla outreach

Guyana’s lone Olympic medalist, boxer Michael Parris, will accompany Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton, to an outreach in Orealla, Region Six, this weekend.

Dr. Norton, who also holds responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, will be visiting the village to engage residents on various issues relative to their development.

Minister Norton will also be meeting with sports officials and agencies, as the Ministry continues to execute a number of sports programmes in the community.

The outreach comes just as the boxing and football coaches attached to the National Sports Commission (NSC) are conducting sessions in the village.

Football coach Gordon Braithwaite will be hosting football camps, while boxing coach Orlando ‘Pocket Rocket’ Rogers will be training prospective boxers.

Minister Norton will also be presenting the community with a punching bag, as a means of promoting boxing as not only a hobby, but also a serious Olympic sport.

As an added bonus, Minister Norton is hopeful that Parris will be on hand to motivate and inspire young boxers to keep training.

“We want them to see Mr. Parris as a living example of a boxing champion, an Olympian – Guyana’s lone Olympic medalist, above all,” Minister Norton noted.

“We want them to be inspired to even challenge Mr. Parris’ record,” Dr. Norton added.

In August, 1980, Michael Anthony Parris created history at the Moscow Olympics, as the first Guyanese to win a medal at the world’s largest sporting event.

Parris copped a bronze medal, after being defeated by Cuba’s Juan Hernández in the semi-finals. (A Ministry of Social Cohesion Press Release)