-Young female pugilist named to national team after only two-and-a-half months in the sport
The Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) has selected Port Kaituma’s new female boxing sensation Alicia Marques to represent Guyana at the upcoming 2008 Pan American Games in Trinidad and Tobago.
Marques is one of four female boxers who will represent Guyana.
Mandessa Moses, Amanda Charles and Ancella Marville are the other three female boxers named for the tournament which begins November 1.
When Marques spoke with Stabroek Sport she stated that she was delighted to be selected for the event and was confident of securing a gold medal in the 140lbs weight division.
Added to that, ex-national boxer and Marques’ coach Mark Yaw of Port Kaituma Champion of Champions Boxing Gym, said that Marques may be confident in winning a gold medal but he was almost certain of her securing it.
If Marques is successful in this task she will become Guyana’s second female boxer to secure a gold medal at an international boxing meet, following the recent success of Moses.
Moses secured gold at the Caribbean Amateur Boxing Association Games in July this year in Trinidad and Tobago.
Marques’ selection was based on a proposal made by Yaw to the GABA and he sent down a DVD (Digital Video Disc) with her performance and she was also present to spar with the young historian Moses for a couple of rounds.
Present to see the exhibition bout was national boxing coach Carl Franklyn and other members of the GABA.
Yaw said that the selectors were impressed with Marques’ skills but noted that some work still has to be done with her.
At the age of 19, Marques has only been in the boxing arena for some two-and-a-half months but she displays a tremendous amount of potential.
Currently Marques does one to two hours training thrice daily, and she said that her training sessions have been coming along greatly.
“I enjoy the training, it’s hard but I like boxing so I never become tired of it,” Marques said.
“Since her commencement in the sport, she has only taken part in the Emancipation Day Boxing Tournament in Port Kaituma,” Yaw said.
That tournament was run successfully with the help of members of the Port Kaituma community. In that tourney three boxing gyms presenting a total of 24 boxers competed for medals.
When questioned on the non-appearance of a team from Port Kaituma in the recently-concluded Gaskin and Jackson Jewellers National Open Boxing Championships at the National Gymnasium, Yaw explained:“The invitation that we received to attend the championships was of short notice so the period that I had to register the team was off schedule with the boat from the Guyana Transport and Harbours Department.”
Yaw, however, acknowledged the support they received from the GABA and the extra motivation that president of the GABA Affeeze Khan has given them.
According to Yaw, Marques is a clinical boxer and with the right amount of support she can accomplish a lot in the sport.
