GBA president has high expectations of boxing trio at Junior Pan Am Games

By Avenash Ramzan

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President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle, is quietly confident the boxing trio representing Guyana at the inaugural Junior Pan American Games would give a solid showing in Cali, Colombia, over the next week and a half.

The Games, being put on Pan Am Sports, will start on Thursday (November 25) and end on December 5.

Under the guidance of AIBA Three-Star coach Terrence Poole, MS, Guyana would be represented in boxing by the undefeated Alesha Jackman in the 69kg Class, Travis Inverary in the 69kg Class and Patrick Harvey in the 63kg Class.

Labelling it “one of our best prepared teams”, Ninvalle said the boxers had been deprived of international competitions since 2019, but “we expect them to give of their best.”

“We have provided them with the necessary tools and it’s just now for them to go and execute,” Ninvalle said.

“Of course, this will allow us to gauge where we are with our nursery, because they are part of our nursery. We will be putting a lot more focus (on the nursery) when the veil of COVID is pulled away.”

“If you ask me from a personal point of view, I expect Ms. Alesha Jackman to do well. I expect Patrick Harvey and Travis Inverary also to do well, but we’re more leaning towards Ms. Jackman.”

In October, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and the GBA joined forces to get the three boxers ready for the Games.

The collaboration saw the boxers remaining in Guyana during the preparatory period, which allowed them to work with a cadre of local coaches.

Additionally, the Olympic Association committed a financial sum to each of the three boxers.

GOA President K.A. Juman-Yassin said back then: “I just wish to say that each of the three boxers will be given G$100,000 so that they could outfit themselves, and the preparation and other aspects would be worked out between the GBA and the Guyana Olympic Association.

One of the important elements for young boxers is their nutrition. We want to ensure that they eat well, so they have that extra in them.”

Ninvalle lauded Juman-Yassin and the GOA for going “beyond the call of duty” to ensure the boxers were well prepared for the historic sojourn.

The GBA head also expressed gratitude to Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess, for affording the boxers the use of the Guyana Defence Force’s gym during the preparatory period.

“All hands were on deck in the preparation of these young athletes and we expect them to do Guyana proud,” Ninvalle concluded.

Junior Pan American Games

The inaugural multi-sport event, geared to create a pathway to higher performance, will cater to athletes aged 17 to 22 competing in over 25 disciplines.

Approximately 3,500 of the world’s next generation of athletes would converge on the South American nation.

Team Guyana to Junior Pan Am Games 2021

Badminton: Narayan Ramdhani, Priyanna Ramdhani, Akili Haynes, Tyrese Jeffrey

Boxing: Terrence Poole, Alesha Jackman, Patrick Harvey, Travis Inverary

Squash: Garfield Wiltshire, Shomari Wiltshire, Samuel Ince-Carvalhal, Michael Alphonso

Table Tennis: Idi Lewis, Miguel Wong, Jonathan Van Lange

Weightlifting: Sean Cozier, Esther Nurse

Athletics: Johnny Gravesande, Revon Williams, Noelex Holder, Kelisa Smith, Chantoba Bright, Kenisha Phillips

Swimming: Paul Mahaica Sr., Paul Mahaica Jr., Patrice Mahaica, Leon Seaton, Aleka Persaud