Guyanese boxers off to Trinidad camp ahead of CAC and Commonwealth Games

With the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games and the Commonwealth Games fast approaching, the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) has intensified its preparations by sending four of the country’s top amateur boxers and a coach to Trinidad and Tobago for a 10-day high-performance training camp.

Leading the delegation is National Middleweight Champion Desmond Amsterdam, one of Guyana’s most experienced amateur fighters and a member of the country’s team at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

Amsterdam is joined by fellow Birmingham Games representative Collin Lewis, Caribbean champion Terron Wintz, and the squad’s lone female boxer, Akeelah Vancooten.

Accompanying the athletes is former national champion and respected coach Jeff Roberts of the New Amsterdam Boxing Academy, who has been tasked with overseeing the team’s development throughout the intensive training programme.

The camp, which runs from June 10 to 21 in the Twin-Island Republic, is expected to provide invaluable exposure and high-level competitive training opportunities for the Guyanese contingent as they continue preparations for the prestigious competitions scheduled for July.

The CAC Games are scheduled to be held in the Dominican Republic from July 24 to August 8, while the Commonwealth Games will take place in Scotland from July 23 to August 2.

According to GBA President Steve Ninvalle, the overseas encampment represents a critical phase of the association’s preparation strategy as it seeks to ensure its athletes are adequately equipped to challenge for honours on both the regional and international stages.

The GBA president noted that training and sparring against elite opposition from throughout the Caribbean will provide the type of competitive environment that cannot be replicated locally, allowing Guyana’s fighters to fine-tune their techniques, improve their ring awareness, and build confidence ahead of their major assignments.

Ninvalle described the initiative as a vital investment in the continued development of boxing in Guyana, emphasising the association’s commitment to creating opportunities that will enhance the performance of Guyanese athletes at the highest levels of competition.

While the association has not yet officially finalised its teams for either the CAC Games or the Commonwealth Games, Ninvalle indicated that every effort is being made to ensure the nation’s best available boxers are properly prepared and positioned to contend for podium finishes.

The GBA president also expressed gratitude to the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and Excel Guyana for their support in making the Trinidad and Tobago training camp possible, noting that such partnerships remain essential to the advancement of the sport.