GBA opens training camp as Commonwealth and CAC Games preparations intensify

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will officially open an intensive training camp on Sunday (July 5) as preparations ramp up for the country’s participation in the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Scotland and the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in the Dominican Republic.

The CAC Games will take place from July 24 to August 8, while the Commonwealth Games runs from July 24 to August 2.

The encampment will bring together Guyana’s top amateur boxers, with the Association focusing on ensuring that the boxers receive the highest level of preparation ahead of the prestigious multi-sport events.

Leading Guyana’s charge at the Commonwealth Games will be Shakquain James, Emmanuel Pompey, Keevin Allicock and Akeelah Vancooten.

The quartet will be accompanied by experienced coach Lennox Daniels as they seek to end Guyana’s long wait for a boxing medal at the Games.

Meanwhile, Terron Wintz, Desmond Amsterdam and Colin Lewis have been selected to represent the Golden Arrowhead at the CAC Games. They will be guided by coaches Francisco Roldan and Jeff Roberts.

President of the Guyana Boxing Association, Steve Ninvalle, said the decision to immediately begin an encampment underscores the Association’s commitment to providing every opportunity for success on the international stage.

“These competitions represent some of the highest levels of amateur boxing in the region and the Commonwealth, and we want our boxers to be fully prepared physically, technically and mentally,” Ninvalle said.

Ninvalle noted that the camp follows the team’s recent training stint in Trinidad and Tobago, which provided valuable exposure and high-level sparring opportunities.

“The boxers have just returned from a productive period of training in Trinidad and Tobago, but preparation does not stop there. Continued preparation is critical if we are serious about competing against some of the best boxers in the world,” Ninvalle explained.

The GBA president added that the Association remains focused on creating an environment that allows the boxers to maximize their potential and arrive at their respective competitions in peak condition.

Guyana’s boxing history at the Commonwealth Games serves as both inspiration and motivation for the current generation.

To date, Guyana has won five boxing medals at the Commonwealth Games, comprising one gold medal and four bronze medals.

The country’s greatest achievement came in 1978 in Edmonton, Canada, when Winfield Braithwaite captured Guyana’s first and only Commonwealth Games boxing gold medal in the Men’s Light Welterweight division.

The most recent Commonwealth Games boxing medal for Guyana was picked up by Wesley Christmas, who earned bronze in the Bantamweight division at the 1990 Games in New Zealand.

With a talented group of boxers now entering a focused period of preparation, the GBA is hopeful that the nation’s medal drought can finally be broken as Guyana looks to make its mark on both the Commonwealth and CAC stages.