The T&T Boxing Association, formerly the Amateur Boxing Association of T&T, is aiming to qualify three 'home-grown' boxers for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
In a plan laid out for the coming year, the TTBA said it had partly achieved its objective for 2016 by virtue of having one boxer, Nigel Paul, qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but wants to improve this. The association being led by Cecil Forde feels particularly pleased that Paul's achievement was a result of their overall development work here at home, as he labelled it as 'home-grown.'
Paul's qualification for the Olympics came after United States-based T&T boxer Carlos Suarez made his debut at the 2012 Olympics in London, England.
According to the boxing association, "Last year was also a good year as our elite boxers performed with distinction," Forde said.
In a release the TTBA said, "2017 signals the beginning of a new cycle ending with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics."
It noted that because of the lack of funding coming from the Government in recent times, its emphasis will be based on two major factors going forward, namely regular promotion and ongoing fund-raisers.
The local boxing boss called on all clubs to plan properly, conduct as many fund-raisers as possible and be a support base for each other in 2017.
The release said it will continue with plans to host the now popular 'Boxing At The Castle' programmes this year which will be followed by a boxing card at the San Fernando Hill on January 28, courtesy Acts TV. In addition, there will also be a card at the Youth Training Centre (YTC) in Aroucam on February 11, as well as another at the Biomel Boxing Gym in Sangre Grande on March 4.
The fund-raising events will begin with an all-inclusive fete on February 18, at the Cosmic Boxing Gym in Marabella; a barbecue on March 11-12; an excursion on April 15 and a curry que on May 20.
Meanwhile, the association also launched its second year Strategic Plan (SP) which has seen the sport now part of the school curriculum. The SP runs alongside the association's Olympic Cycle which and has been largely responsible for the achievements of a lot of the country's boxers at the Caribbean Development Championship last year, such as Justin Parris, Christian Mc Donald, Aaron Hassette, Stephanie Allen, Nigel Paul, Anthony Joseph, Jean Paul Cooper, Brendan Dennis, Ronaldo Stewart, Moses Dempster, Mike Inniss, Kyleron Ruiz, Shantel Adams, Martha Rodney, Shakir Flemming, Christopher De Freitas, Nicholas Prince and Jemicah Jones.
WALTER ALIBEY