Emotional scenes at CJIA as GBA welcomes Caribbean Champions

Mar 05, 2025 Sports

Kaieteur Sports- Guyana’s 2025 Caribbean Boxing Championship contingent arrived at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) on Monday to a hero’s welcome after dominating the first staging of the event since 2019. The local team secured three of the top four accolades, retaining their title after a seven-year wait.

Emotional scenes at CJIA as GBA welcomes Caribbean Champions

Keevin Allicock leads his troop off CAL flight yesterday, following their successful campaign in St Lucia at the 2025 Caribbean Championship.

With boxing being Guyana’s only medal-earning sport at the Olympic Games, and with increased government support, this achievement adds a much-needed accolade to the country’s sporting repertoire.

Headlining the 18-member team in St. Lucia were Keevin Allicock (OLY), Desmond Amsterdam, Terron Wintz, Abiola Jackman, Collin Lewis, and Emanuel Pompey, among others. Guyana’s boxing stars dominated the 2025 championship, returning home with the lion’s share of awards and the coveted title.

Following the championship’s four-year hiatus, Guyana once again swept the competition, securing top honours, including Best Elite Male Boxer (Keevin Allicock), Best Youth Boxer (Terron Wintz), and Best Female Boxer (Abiola Jackman).

This victory is historic, as the last time Guyana achieved such success was in 2018 when they won the championship on home soil.

Scenes from Monday! As members of the triumphant Caribbean Boxing Championship team returned home.

Speaking at the reception event, Director of Sport and President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle, emphasized the challenges faced by the sport over the years due to insufficient funding. “Insufficient funding has broken the backs of sports over the years,” he stated. However, he acknowledged that with the government’s backing, the GBA was able to bring home the championship for the first time in seven years.

This latest triumph underscores the importance of investment in sports. Recently, the Government of Guyana (GoG) made its largest-ever allocation of funds to the sports sector. This support not only enabled the GBA to send a strong 18-member team to the championship but also provided boxers with sufficient training time ahead of the competition.

Terron Wintz (center) cops Best Boxer accolade at the 2025 Caribbean Boxing Championship.

The team’s success is a testament to what can be achieved with proper investment. Notably, several boxers returned with gold medals, including two young fighters from the Berbice district who made a name for themselves at this year’s championship.

The champions’ arrival was met with an outpouring of emotion, as spectators cheered, some even shedding tears of joy while welcoming the victorious team. The reception, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport in collaboration with the Guyana Boxing Association, was a fitting tribute to their achievements. A deep sense of national pride filled the air as the champions stepped onto home soil.

The Caribbean heroes arrive at CJIA. In photo are Desmond Amsterdam (left) and Emmanuel Pompey.

An emotional Ninvalle expressed his overwhelming pride in the team’s success. “It’s been seven years that we’ve been waiting to recapture the Caribbean championship,” he remarked in his opening address.

He extended high praise to President Irfaan Ali and Minister of Sport Charles Ramson for their unwavering support.

Ninvalle also attributed the victory to Guyana’s heavy investment in its boxing nursery. “Last year, we hosted 18 Under-16 tournaments, and this year, we plan to increase those numbers. The companion of success is resources, and I’m happy to say that the Government has been walking with us every step of the way,” he stated.

With the Caribbean championship now secured, Guyana’s next ambition is to dominate the Latin American and South American boxing scene.

(Emotional scenes at CJIA as GBA welcomes Caribbean Champions)

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Caribbean Boxing Championship, Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Guyana, St Lucia

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