Crowd support is vital to Guyana’s victory

Aug 11, 2024 Sports

Winfield Braithwaite Caribbean Schoolboys/Girls…

Kaieteur Sports – Boxing pundits of yesteryear can fondly reminisce of those nostalgic moments as spectators of amateur boxing cards in the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH). Those were the days when Guyana engaged in bilateral sports activities with the mighty Cubans and matched those powerhouses, pound for pound.

Lennox Daniels

Terrence Poole

Of all the variables that pushed the local team to victory, crowd support has been the most definitive. The pundits may remember ‘Starry,’ the typical ‘die hard’ of the sport, prancing around the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) and waving the Golden Arrowhead (and the Republican flag) while engaged in victory chants. Such support was instrumental in upheaved team spirit and eventual victory.

Who could forget the epic battle between local pugilist, Anthony Andrews and his Cuban counterpart, Joquain Campanioni? How many of our current boxing supporters could regurgitate the memories of past-time boxers, the likes of Darius Forde, Winston Richards, and the Houstner brothers, Dereck and Allan, among others, punching out victories over the mighty Cubans?

Those were epic moments as those warriors flew the Golden Arrowhead with distinction, turning in performances that inspired the spectators and strengthened local boxers’ standing as legitimate forces.

Boxing is a sport where the pugilists employ the strategies doled out by their coaches and in the end, the entire team wins. However, while the coach and his methodologies are oftentimes the deciding factor of the boxers’ triumphs, it is the support of the spectators that could make that difference and inspire the local boxers to epic victories.

Next week, Friday 13thGuyanese amateur boxers will stepinto the limelight, against several of their Caricom counterparts, in defense of the prestigious Winfield Braithwaite Caribbean Schoolboys/girls boxing title. The uninitiated may evaluate the history of the tournament and Guyanese boxers’ dominance and might want to shrug aside any possibility of a loss by this power team. However, as the popular Guyanese saying goes, “Pride comes before a fall.” Simply put, local punchers can ill afford to lightly regard the ambitions of their Caribbean counterparts as they, the latter group, have all indicated that they are focused and good and ready to cart off the spoils.

The coaches are extremely important to the matrix and even as the pundits cheer the boxers to victory, they will be keenly observing the input of the coaches.

Terrence Poole and Lennox Daniels are the coaches in charge of the local team’s preparation and both veterans are brimming with confidence that theircharges will shine brightly at this forum. “We have a great crop of boxers, all ready to throw down the gauntlet and win their respective bouts,” declared Mr. Poole. He said that all of his charges are well-prepared for the upcoming assignment while the coaches are ready to accept the retained ‘prestigious accolade.’

Quizzed on the eventuality of an upset, Poole declared, “While not being impossible, such an outcome is highly improbable.” He said that he is aware of the hard work of the other teams across the territory and their ambitions to lift the championship trophy. “Notwithstanding, the Guyanese boxers are focused and have been extremely disciplined during their training schedules,” he reaffirmed.

The tournament will see 7 teams joining the host nation and defending champion, Guyana, all eager to procure the top accolade. Among them are Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada, Bahamas, Suriname, Antigua and Barbuda, and St Lucia.

The march past and opening ceremony are scheduled to get underway next Friday, August 16 at the Games venue, National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue.

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bilateral, Guyana, Lennox Daniels, Terrence Poole, Winfield Braithwaite

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