Terrence Poole National Open and Intermediate boxing set for October 25-27

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) has announced that its National Open and Intermediate Championships will be staged on October 25-27 at the National Gymnasium, with this year’s edition carrying special significance.

The three-day event has been renamed in honour of the late Terrence Poole, the revered coach and administrator who dedicated more than 40 years of his life to the sport.

October 2 will mark one year since Poole’s sudden passing at a medical facility in Georgetown, with his death sending shockwaves through Guyana’s sporting community and the wider Caribbean boxing fraternity, where he was widely regarded as one of the region’s finest technical minds.

A former member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Poole was the recipient of the Medal of Service (MS) for his outstanding work in sport and national development.

Poole made history in 2014 when he became Guyana’s first International Boxing Association (AIBA) Three-Star Coach after completing the elite coaching course in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The Three-Star certification is the highest level attainable for amateur coaches, and at the time of his death, only Sebert Blake had joined him in Guyana with that distinction.

Poole’s qualifications often saw him assisting Caribbean nations at international tournaments, particularly those without coaches certified to at least the One-Star level.

GBA President Steve Ninvalle explained that naming the championship after Poole was both fitting and necessary.

“It is important that we honour him through this tournament because this was his ‘baby’,” Ninvalle said.

“He put in a lot of extra work to ensure it provided a platform for emerging talent. Development was always at the heart of everything Poole did.”

As Technical Director of the GBA, Poole was instrumental in successfully organising the National Open and Intermediate Championships during his tenure.

Ninvalle noted, “Given that he passed away in October, we felt it was most appropriate to keep his name and legacy alive through this event.”

In addition to this year’s National Open and Intermediate Championships, the GBA will also host the Terrence Poole Memorial Tournament, which will be an international fixture featuring boxers from across the Caribbean.

“Poole was an irreplaceable figure in our association, and to this day we continue to feel his absence, especially around this time when we are putting together such important events,” Ninvalle said.

Ninvalle pointed out that the upcoming championships are highly anticipated, with several boxers who excelled at the Novices eager to showcase their skills on the bigger stage.