Boxing Gym formed at Melanie Damishana

Jul 13, 2008 Sports

A boxing gym was formed at Melanie Damishana yesterday following an interest by residents in that East Coast Village and a visit and discussions with a team of officials of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association led by its president Affeeze Khan.

With the aim of expanding amateur boxing through out the various communities of the country, the executive team of GABA visited Melanie Damishana and had discussions with members of the Melanie Damishana Development Council, who were interested in forming an Amateur Boxing Gym within the community.

The members included Vaughn Assanah, who is the president of the Melanie Sports Club, Randolph George who is a councillor within the community, Ivan Joseph a sports enthusiast, Dexter Grant who is a member of the Community Development Council and the Organising Secretary of the East Coast Football club and Richard Fraser, boxing coach, who fought as an amateur under the Guyana Defence Force Boxing Gym.

All of the members complained that there were hardly any sporting activities within the community, therefore the young people within the community did not have any constructive things to occupy their time and therefore took to liming on the street corners and some even indulged in using drugs.

The reasoned that having an Amateur Boxing Gym in the community will therefore encourage the young people to engage in an activity that will be of great benefit to them.

Based on the discussions, it was agreed that the members of the community, who were present, got together and formed the Melanie Damishana Amateur Boxing Gym.

This new Gym will be housed at the residence of Morris Cox which is located opposite of the Melanie Shopping Plaza.

Vaughn Assanah was selected as the president and he will be assisted by Coach Richard Fraser and female professional boxer Veronica Blackman. Senior Coach Evan Parris of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association will also be making regular visits to give technical assistance and to ensure that all boxing activities are in keeping with the Association guidelines.

The Guyana Amateur Boxing Association handed over boxing equipment to the members of the newly formed Gym which included a punching bag, boxing gloves, head gears, training pads and training gloves.

Most of these equipment were donated to the Association by the British High Commission, who advised that they are always willing to contribute to the progress of the young people in Guyana.

The recently opened Timehri Boxing Gym, Linden Boxing Gym and the Wismar Boxing Gym will also be benefiting from the donations made by the British High Commission when the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association visit these Gyms over this weekend.

The General Public is invited to come out and see the boxers of the new Gyms in action when the Association runs off its National Open Tournament from July 18 – 20 at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue starting at 18:00 hours daily.