The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

A PAIR of boxers on their path toward Olympic qualification in 2020 began their path to that goal with impressive performances against regional competition.

Rashield Williams took gold in the 69-kilogram class and  Davian Smith won bronze in the 81-kilo class at the 2016 edition of the Caribbean Development Boxing Tournament hosted in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Williams, a veteran on the amateur scene, also won the most outstanding boxer award at the event.

“I just want to give God thanks. I also have to thank the Amatuer Boxing Federation, my coach Valentino Knowles, and working out with FitWithSmith for our conditioning,” he said. “We went out there with our game plan to dominate and that’s exactly what we did.”

Williams was the last boxer standing in the Bahamas’ bid toward Olympic qualification in 2016, and advanced to the second round of his respective qualifier.

Despite his experience, Williams said he was most impressed with his teammate Smith, a relative newcomer to the boxing scene.

“He’s a quick learner and a very good fighter, all I had to tell him was to keep on pushing and never give up. The results speak for themselves,” he said.

“From now I’m just focused on the next Olympics. Right now things haven’t kicked off as yet but there are some things we have lined up for next year, we will have to be prepared and get ready.”

Smith, fighting on his first national team, said his decision to finally get into the sport has paid immediate dividends.

“It was a good experience to have some success so early, especially as a new up and coming boxer. I see myself eventually at the top one day,” he said.

“I always liked boxing since I was young. I was just too lazy to get fully into it, now I can’t see myself without boxing. One day I was just passing the gym, I saw the coaches, I saw people trying and I just decided to go for it. I haven’t looked back ever since.”

Both fighters train with former pro boxer Valentino Knowles and his Aftershock Boxing Club at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

“They both did a terrific job. I have to thank the people who supported this team and all of the sponsors. It would not have been possible without them,” Miller said.

“I’d like to thank God for this opportunity I have with these guys. After what I achieved it’s a pleasure to coach these guys. I’m young but I’m full of experience. These upcoming fighters they trust me. They know my history and they know my success. They realise they rather listen to someone who has already been there or someone who says ‘let’s go there’ but has never been there before. I feel like with their trust we can work harder.”

Miller said the duo are two of the leaders the country can look forward to seeing compete for a qualification spot at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

“We are closing down our season but come January these are the guys you can look at as we start to head toward the 2020 Olympics,” Miller said.

“Davian has been one of the quickest improvers I’ve ever seen. We have senior fighters who have never captured a medal at an event like this so at the pace he’s going he is catching on very quickly and that’s why he was able to do so well. He was ready and he did the country proud. Rashield is just dominating and taking over the elite scene ever since I left. He captured his first international medal under my teaching and right now he is achieving great things in the sport. Him being named the most outstanding boxer shows we have a Bahamian who is the most talented boxer in the Caribbean.”

The Caribbean Development Boxing Tournament featured male and female boxers at the elite, youth, junior and novice level. The five-day tournament, considered the most important in the region by AIBA, also hosted AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu.

According to AIBA: “Dr Wu’s presence at the finals will be a central element of his visit to the region to improve integration and cooperation between the Caribbean’s national federations and to discuss their ongoing development. Through the HeadsUp programme launched last year, AIBA aims to provide greater opportunities and support for boxers and grassroots assistance where it is needed most.”

A total of 17 countries took part in the event, including Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Jamaica, Martinique, St Lucia, St Maarten, Trinidad & Tobago and US Virgin Islands.

The Caribbean produced two Olympic boxers in Rio 2016 - Nigel Paul of Trinidad and Tobago and Laurent Clayton Jr of the US Virgin Islands.

The tournament is used as a major component of the region’s development programme to identify future Olympians. It replaced the CARIFTA Games that was discontinued in 2007.