GBA’s OECS boxing championships squad departs for St. Lucia

Jul 31, 2025 Sports

Guyana’s national boxing team met with Association President and Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle prior to departure for St. Lucia today for the 2024 OECS Boxing Championships over the weekend.

Kaieteur Sports – Guyana’s national boxing team will depart for St. Lucia today, Thursday, ahead of the 2025 Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Boxing Championships, scheduled for August 1–3.

Leading the six-member squad is Abiola Jackman, last year’s Best Elite Female Boxer, who etched her name in history as the first Guyanese, male or female, to win gold at the Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC) Elite Championships.

Now, Jackman is poised to make history once again, becoming the first female to captain a national boxing team from Guyana, a move Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle says reflects the country’s commitment to gender equality in the sport.

“Abiola has demonstrated exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to boxing over the years,” Ninvalle said in a GBA release. “We believe she will once again rise to the occasion in St. Lucia, and we’re proud to invest in her future.”

Jackman is one of two female boxers on the team, alongside Akeelah Vancooten, a former national representative at the World Junior Championships.

The remainder of the squad features some of the Caribbean’s most promising talents: Shakquain James, Teevin Wintz, Emanuel Pompey, and Juel Williamson, all of whom are expected to deliver strong performances as they aim to match or surpass Guyana’s impressive showing at last year’s tournament.

Before their departure, the team met with Ninvalle, who expressed full confidence in the squad, particularly the emerging boxers.

He encouraged them to view the OECS Championships as an opportunity to test their mettle against top regional contenders.

“Tournaments like these are critical for gaining ring experience and evaluating our progress against our Caribbean counterparts,” Ninvalle said, while adding, “They’re an important part of our long-term development plan and offer valuable exposure to international competition.”

Guyana’s last outing at the Championship, hosted at the Vigie Sports Complex in Castries, saw them finishing second overall in the Invitational Category, despite fielding a compact team of just six boxers.

The squad tallied 14 points, winning four gold and two silver medals. Trinidad and Tobago, with a 16-member team, topped the standings with 33 points, while Barbados placed third with 13.

Among the standout performers were Abiola Jackman, who was named Best Female Boxer, and Ryan Rogers (bantamweight – Schoolboys), who earned the Best Junior Boxer title.

Also contributing to Guyana’s medal haul were:

Alesha Jackman (middleweight – Elite, gold)

Shakquain James (lightweight – Junior, gold)

Angelina Rogers (bantamweight – Junior, silver)

Junior Madray (31–33 kg – Schoolboys, silver)

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Abiola Jackman, Americas Boxing Confederation, Boxing, GBA, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

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