TT junior boxers win nine medals in Guyana

TT boxed their way to nine medals at the third edition of the Caribbean School Boys/Girls, Junior and Youth Tournament in Georgetown, Guyana, from August 17 to 19.

The team won two gold, five silver and two bronze medals at the tournament. Blessing Waldropt won the lightweight 60kg division, and Ornella Ramnath copped gold in the flyweight 51kg category. Earning silver medals were Juan Rodriguez, Tyrique Hosein, Joshua Sylvester, Abdul Taylor and Aleisha King. Copping bronze medals for TT were Sharika Elias and Nyrell Hosein.

Ramnath and Elias, making their debuts at a regional competition, both performed at a high level.

Elias, at just 15 years old, gave a good showing, and the TT Boxing Association (TTBA) felt she could have advanced further in the competition The TTBA is protesting one of the decisions in her bouts.

The TTBA thanked all the athletes, coaches and the parents, who helped to raise the necessary funds to make sure the TT team participated.

The Boxing Association also thanked the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs for the assistance given to national youth boxer Tyron Thomas to compete at the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships, which is currently being held in Budapest, Hungary.

Thomas lost on points in the preliminaries of the men's welterweight 69kg division to Yeasungnoen Peerapat of Thailand. Peerapat is the Asian Boxing Championships silver medallist. The TTBA believes Thomas is showing great potential, and in 2019 will be joining the elite national team.

The TTBA is now getting ready to participate in the 2018 American Boxing Confederation Elite Women's Continental Championships, which will be held in Vargas City, Venezuela from September 10 to 16. Tianna Guy has been selected and she will be joined by national women's coach Ria Ramnarine.

The 2018 National Championships takes place from November 15 to 18, and the year ends with the fourth edition of the Caribbean Development Tournament which is scheduled to take place in December.