Guyanese CAC boxers suffer further setback mere hours before draw is scheduled

Jul 21, 2010 Sports

The local boxing contingent scheduled to represent this country at the 21st Central American and Caribbean championships in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico have arrived safely in that American state but have been plagued by additional problems.

Merely 48 hours before the draw the boxers are still to collect their gears to facilitate training sessions. Kaieteur Sport spoke with Secretary of the Guyana Amateur Weightlifting Association (GAWA) Deion Nurse who revealed that indeed the boxers have arrived minus their training apparel due to flight complications.

They, along with 4 hockey players left the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timerhi Saturday morning last for a few hours stopover at the Piarco Airport, Trinidad and Tobago, but ended up spending the night and most of the following day in the Twin Island Republic after Liat Airlines encountered problems.

These problems escalated when, even though they had managed to book a flight for the onward journey, the boxers arrived devoid of their training apparel.

Earlier, extremely high winds in Mayaguez; Puerto Rico had forced a further postponement of the opening ceremony. Mr. Nurse explained that the inclement weather conditions have abated to some extent and the situation has returned to a semblance of normalcy.

He said that the various team members are all safe since the storm had only affected the area where the official opening ceremony was held.

Nurse further said that the team managers have discussed the new developments pertaining to the boxers’ gears and have decided to purchase new gears to facilitate their training sessions.

“We are monitoring the situation and if there are no improvement to the situation we would just have to purchase a new set of gears,” he intimated.

The Guyanese team is presently housed at the Central American Villa in Mayaguez Puerto Rico and is rearing to go.

According to Nurse several athletes are currently in the village and consist of 17 hockey players, 6 boxers, 3 cyclists, and a swimmer. There are also 8 officials attached to the respective disciplines.

Meanwhile, the boxers are scheduled to get in action soon after the official draw is conducted on Friday morning. Those vying for honours are flyweight, Dexter Jordon, lightweight, Clevon Rock, welterweight Devon Boatswain, featherweight Ray Sandiford, junior/lightweight Bert Braithwaite and Herlando Allicock.