The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

A new crop of boxers are set to represent the Bahamas on the amateur level and according to national team Head Coach Andre Seymour, officially begin their trek toward Rio 2016 Olympic qualification.

The Amateur Boxing Federation of the Bahamas has selected its national team that will represent the Bahamas at the Presidential Cup Boxing Tournament that will be held in Santiago, Dominican Republic, February 18-22.

Veteran Carl Heild, 26, will head the group that also includes Rashield Williams, 22, Ronald Woodside, 20, and Godfrey Strachan, 19.

Seymour who leads the delegation that includes assistant coach Kayla Johnson and manager George Turner, said he expects this year to be the year the Bahamas breaks through to win the gold medal.

“Traditionally, we have fared very well in this tournament in the past, and overtime we go the Bahamas is always able to walk away with a success and some medal. We have been going for the last nine years, and recently we have come home with a medal, never came back with a gold, we hope to get a gold this lap,” he said, “We have three new boxers we look to now take the reigns at the amateur level, they have been to this tournament before but have not medaled. They have trained in Cuba under the same program as Valentino (Knowles) and Taureano (Johnson) for the last two years, so they are now at the elite level.

In previous editions of the tournament, Hield has recorded the best finish for the Bahamas at the tournament with two silver medals.

Both Knowles and Johnson, now fighting professionally, have won two bronze medals at the event.

According to Seymour, the young group is experienced, particularly Woodside who has recently competed at many international events.

Woodside has represented the Bahamas at the Junior World Championships, the Junior Commonwealth Championships and Junior Continental Championships.

This event will be the first on a long road to qualification for the Bahamaas’ group of fighters as they look to field a team for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“From here, we will see how our three new boxers look at this stage. There will be a good group of boxers from Puerto Rico, Cayman Islands, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, so it will be a good measuring stick for our guys,” he said.

“This year will be a big one for us coming, continental and world championships. We know that we can produce Olympic prospects because we have already done it. We feel like we can continue to keep these young men focused on the Olympics and give them the hope to achieve that goal of getting to the Olympics. Once they have the talent, we want to give them the opportunity.”

Seymour’s club, the Carmichael Knockout Boxing Club will host their first tournament of the year, Saturday February 9th at the National Boxing Gymnasium at the Blue Hills Sporting Complex.

Under the theme “Featuring the New Generation,” the card begins at 4pm with boxers from various clubs participating.