Boxer Nigel Paul loses Pan Am Games opener

Boxer Nigel Paul had a losing start to his 2023 Pan American Games campaign after he was out-boxed by Colombian Cristian Codazzi in his opening bout at the Centro de Entrenamiento Olimpico in Santiago, Chile, on Thursday.

Fighting out of the red corner, Paul, 34, lost 5-0 on points. The judges scored the five rounds 29-28, 30-27, 30-27, 29-28, 30-27; all in favour of Codazzi. Action was in the men’s +92kg preliminary round of 16.

TT resume competition on Friday from 10.45am with Angel George up against Panamanian Athenya Bylon in the first women’s 75kg preliminary round of 16 bout.

Later on, the games officially get underway with the opening ceremony at Santiago National Stadium.

The Parade of Nations is the highlight of the event, with athletes carrying their national flags and leading their delegations into the stadium.

Organisers have also made a significant move towards gender equality by allowing teams to choose both a male and female flag bearer at the ceremony, following the precedent set at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

On Saturday, 20 events kick off at multiple sporting facilities there. TT will continue their quest in boxing and begin competing in artistic gymnastics, badminton, 3x3 basketball, swimming and weightlifting.

TT will also feature in athletics, canoe, cycling, golf, field hockey and table tennis.

Altogether, 63 athletes will fly the red, white and black until November 5. With the team are 36 officials, including Chef de Mission Stacy Santana, the medical team, coaches and managers.

TT’s athlete contingent includes reigning World Junior 50m freestyle champion Blackman, 18, who copped three gold medals at the Commonwealth Youth Games in August.

Some of the more experienced campaigners making the trip are sprinter Michelle-Lee Ahye, cyclists Nicholas Paul, Kwesi Browne, boxers Aaron Prince and Tianna Guy and table tennis’s Rheanna Chung.

At the last edition of the games in 2019, TT captured their best-ever haul of 12 medals (two gold, seven silver, three bronze).

The 2023 Pan American Games will feature 39 sports, with 423 events in total.