Allicock is physically & spiritually strong ahead of Tokyo Olympics ‘Most definitely satisfied with his improvement’ says Coach Blake

Jul 18, 2021 Sports

By Sean Devers

Of the seven Guyanese at the Tokyo Olympics, which runs from July 23 to August 8, Bantamweight Boxer Keevin Allicock has the best chance of giving Guyana only is second ever medal and first in 41 years in its seventeenth appearance at the Olympics.

Coach Blake (right) & his Olympic Boxer Keevin Allicock.

The 22-year-old Allicock, who suffered the loss of his Dad, last October, is in Russia for a two-week Camp ahead of the Olympics.
Allicock is no stranger to Russia since in September 2019 Allicock visited there for World Boxing Championships which was the first time a Guyanese pugilist had qualified for this event since Denis Thomas and Imran Khan did so in 2013.
The Caribbean Bantamweight Boxing Champion, Allicock, will be aiming to follow Guyanese pugilist Mike Parris, who won Bronze in the 1980 Games in Moscow.
Guyana is being represented in Boxing for the first time since John Douglas lost in the first round in the 1996 Olympics 25 years ago.
The lightning fast and highly talented youth from Albouystown, is carrying the hopes and expectations of his fellow Guyanese across the 83,000 square miles and the millions in the diaspora on his shoulders.
Allicock will also want to better his controversial defeats at the Commonwealth Games in Australia and the World Boxing Championships.

Allicock (right) goes to the body of his 52kg opponent from Botswana during a training session in Russia.

However, his Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF) Coach Sebert Blake, speaking to Kaiteur Sports from Russia, said his Boxer is physically and spiritually strong to bear the hopes and dreams of his Countrymen.
“All is well with Keevin and I. Our training is going excellent…I am most defiantly satisfied with his improvement,” informed Blake as he provided an update on Allicock, a 2017 Youth Commonwealth Games silver medallist.
“Presently we are working on improving his tactical and technical ability and this has been basically for the different styles of sparring that we have had so far. He has been working on tactics to counteract those different styles of fighters that we could encounter,” continued the experienced Blake.
Blake disclosed that he and Allicock are scheduled to leave for Tokyo on Tuesday July 20 at 1 pm and should arrive in Japan three hours later. “It should not be a long flight…two stops and into Tokyo.”
“Keevin’s confidence is high of doing well in this tournament, he is very spiritual in his beliefs and I also believe. We are riding on that. We are taking all the science that we have gotten here and will utilise it to the best of our interest and the best interest of Guyana.

Keevin Allicock is doing well in training camp in Russia.

So yes he is very confident and motivated and physically intact based on our tests that we do on a daily basis and he is highly pumped spiritually,” stated Blake.
“I ask Guyanese at home and abroad to keep praying for us and give us 110 percent support,” concluded the 47-year-old Blake, who was Shondell Alfred’s Coach when she knocked out Corrine Van Ryck DeGroot in 2010 to win the WIBA title to become the second World Champion from Albouystown after Andrew ‘Six head’, Lewis won Guyana’s first World title in 2001.
Team Guyana for the Tokyo Olympics is; Chelsea Edghill (Table Tennis), Aleka Persaud and Andrew Fowler (swimming), Emanuel Archibald, sisters Jasmine and Aliyah Abrams (Track and Field} and Keevin Allicock (Boxing).