Five member boxing team arrives in Cuba

From left, Emmanuel Pompey, Desmond Amsterdam, Keevin Allicock, Joel Williamson and Alesha Jackman.

The Guyana Boxing Association’s (GBA) five-member team arrived in Havana, Cuba, Saturday to commence their historic three-week training camp in preparation for the upcoming Pan American Games.

The cadre of pugilists, which for the first time in history features a female fighter, consists of Desmond Amsterdam [79 KG], Keevin Allicock [57 KG], Emmanuel Pompey [92 KG], Joel Williamson [63.5 KG], and Alesha Jackman [66 KG]. Resident Cuban trainer Francisco Roldan, who arrived in Cuba days prior, will supervise the training regimen.

The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and corporate giant John Fernandes Limited, aided the GBA in making this historic venture an actuality. The Pan Am Games, which will be staged in Santiago, Chile, from October 20th to November 5th, serve as a qualifier for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France. Boxing is set to be staged from October 21st–27th at the La Reina Community Sports Center, with the two respective divisional finalists securing automatic berths to France.