TT boxers return with 18 medals

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s boxers returned home early yesterday with a haul of 18 medals from the Caribbean Amateur Boxing Championships in Nassau, Bahamas.

The fighters matched their record of the previous year when each member of the contingent earned a medal in the highly competitive annual regional box-off. Despite their stellar performances, TT had to settle for second place behind hosts Bahamas but ahead of Barbados. Cecil Forde, vice-president of the Amateur Boxing Association said yesterday he was pleased with the overall results as the core of the national team was made up of junior boxers who gave an exemplary account of themselves. “Of the six men who won gold, three were juniors while the women, fighting at this level for the first time, created history also returning with gold,” said an elated Forde yesterday.

The juniors coming out on top of the region were lightweight Kurt Blackwell, featherweight junior Aaron Hassette and junior welterweight Andrew Fermin. The seniors joining the ranks were Terrance Lokai, Revival’s Boxing Gym’s flyweight; Devon Jones (lightweight) and Tobagonian Kerston Manswell, a super heavyweight who earned silver at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England and the Central American Games in El Salvador, both staged last year. Tiana Saney, light welterweight and Liana Boodram, a light flyweight, defied the critics to make their mark when females were admitted to CABA for the first time last week.

Forde said the TT success can be attributed to the intensive training the boxers were subjected to in a live-in camp at the Cosmic Gym, Marabella prior to their trip to the Bahamas. He expressed gratitude to the many sponsors who assisted the team, including the groceries which provided foodstuffs on a daily basis to keep the fighters nourished as they prepared for the CABA. Also giving invaluable support to the venture was female boxing official Molly Boxhill, who personally visited business-places pleading for assistance for the boxers.

Forde said yesterday, TT had made a successful bid for the Caribbean Championships next year and much will depend on the assistance of Government if the competition is to be staged here. He said the programme for the local boxers will be ongoing as Aaron Cumberbatch, silver medallist at CABA is slated to represent TT at the upcoming World Under-17 (Cadet) Championships in Romania. Also, Manswell has already qualified for the Pan American Games this August in Santo Domingo and all focus will be on their preparation. “The boxers will not be afforded any rest. They will immediately go into action this week in the Point Fortin Borough Week card,” said Forde. “We have to get our house in order and start the ball rolling in anticipation of next year’s CABA when we will be able to field a full team and sweep the honours at home,” Forde promised.

RESULTS
Gold: (Seniors) Terrance Lokai, flyweight; Devon Jones, lightweight; Kerston Manswell, super- heavyweight; (Juniors) Kurt Blackwell, lightweight; Andrew Fermin, junior weltwerweight; Aaron Hassette, featherweight; (Women) Tiana Saney, lightweight; Liana Boodram, light-flyweight.
Silver: (Seniors) Faiyum Mohammed, featherweight; Michael Springer, light weltwerweight; Simeon Prince, middleweight; (Juniors) David Olivierre, bantamweight; Aaron Cumberbatch, light flyweight; (Women) Chickaree Valentine, featherweight.
Bronze: (Seniors) Joseph Straker, welterweight; Miki Richards, heavyweight; (Open) Clevon Denoon, bantamweight; (Juniors) Ricard Straker, middleweight.