Rashield Williams and Carl Hield in Birmingham.
By BRENT STUBBS
Senior Sports Reporter
bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
BIRMINGHAM, England: Despite having to overwork himself to shed 11 pounds to make the weight, Rashield Williams gave it a gallant effort in his light welterweight match at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, but was a little too weak to withstand Namibia’s Jonas Jonas.
One day after the other team member Carl Hield was stopped in the first round of his boxing bout, Williams went the distance, but lost 5-0 on points to Jonas on Sunday at the NEC Hall. It was match he felt he could have easily won if he was at full strength.
“It was a good fight. He was a tough guy. He was the former champion. He did his part and I did my part,” said Williams, who had to fight back in the last two rounds after losing the first of three minute three round bout.
“Although I had to lose the weight because I was put in the wrong weight class, I did my best. I’m proud of myself.”
The 32-year-old Williams said he spent the past three days starving himself from eating food and drinking water, while dehydrating using the sauna and running as much as he could. Unfortunately, the 21-year-old Jonas was much better prepared.
“I didn’t want to just make this a vacation trip, so I had to go out there and do my best,” Williams said. “I’m okay now because I can eat. I’m satisfied with my performance. I’m glad I came out healthy and no damage was done to my body.”
As the shorter of the two competitors, Williams found himself in a tough situation where he had to hold off the attack of the taller Jonas. Although he took the fight to him, he didn’t have the stamina to stay toe to toe with him and it caused him the decision.
Still reeling from his disappointing first round stoppage on Saturday, Hield discovered Sunday morning when he got up that his left ankle was swollen from a slip in the ring during his bout and had to be treated by the polyclinic in the games village at the Hilton Hotel.
The 35-year-old Hield’s ankle was bandaged and he revealed that he will have to continue treatment at the clinic until he leaves the games at the end of the week.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 4 months ago
"Unfortunately, the 21-year-old Jonas was much better prepared."
"As the shorter of the two competitors, Williams found himself in a tough situation.."
"had to lose the weight because I was put in the wrong weight class"
It's ok not to win if you did your best, that's all anyone can ask of you. But we are still making too many excuses for not being prepared, not knowing the opponents, not assessing strengths and weaknesses etc etc. This isnt sports development, this is sports throw the dice in the air and whatever happens and happens
sheeprunner12 2 years, 4 months ago
Except for the few overly gifted athletes or those who have great connections to sponsors and professional trainers, that is the situation with most 242 athletes in all sports disciplines.
Bahamians do not support their sports athletes and only pay attention when they somehow " make it big in America". Bahamians worship foreign athletes and give very little love to theirs.The Government joins the bandwagon looking for brownie points. But very little thought, effort or money is invested in Government programs to develop sports from primary school to UB and beyond. It's no wonder that the few who make the great leap to pro sports and flourish stay away from the local scene. They rarely give back and pull up those that they left behind. It's sad, but bitter memories of their early struggles may be hard for many to forget. Just listen to the stories of Elisha Obed, Pauline Davis & Frank Rutherford. For the few who got local recognition, God bless them.
For 242 athletes, the present struggle is real. The Bahamas Games will be another hollow promotion for politicians to showboat, with no national plan to expand opportunities for athletes to flourish.
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 4 months ago
I agree with everything you said. As an athlete you know the odds are against you, you know the govt is gonna dissapoint you once again like a bad girlfriend/boyfriend, so some of it is on you. These schedules are prepared ahead of time and have to be approved by somebody on the local team. And if you dont know the exact opponent you're at least familiar with the pool and the contenders. Shouldnt someone know he could face a taller athlete? Shouldnt someone have said this is the strategy you use to box a taller opponent? And how can you be entered in the wrong weight class? I'd accept it if he put on weight and couldnt qualify for his weight class until he dropped some pounds, but not he was entered in the wrong class. These are some I just wasnt serious mistakes on the organizers part with the athlete themselves having to take some responsibility
Sickened 2 years, 4 months ago
I really want to know more about being put in the wrong weight class.
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