The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas is on pace to field its largest boxing team ever at the Central American and Caribbean Games this fall, according to national team head coach Andre Seymour.

A five-member team is currently competing in Mexico at the first of several CAC qualifiers, and two fighters have qualified for the 2014 edition of the games thus far, while another two remain in contention.

Carl Hield, the country’s top amateur fighter, and Godfrey Strachan have each earned berths to the 22nd CAC Games scheduled to be held November 14-30 in Veracruz, Mexico.

Both fighters earned bronze medals in their respective divisions and fought in the silver medal round last night. However, no results were available up to press time last night.

“We came here with five guys. Two so far have qualified, there is a chance we will get two more guys in so the team is looking very good,” Seymour said.

“This is the first time that boxers have had to qualify for the CAC games and for the first time going through this format we have done an excellent job so far. Success at the CAC games in boxing is nothing new to us. We had Valentino Knowles win a gold medal at the CAC Games before and these guys are just looking to continue where Valentino left off. Based on what I’ve seen so far, it can be done and I expect us to have our biggest CAC boxing team ever this November.”

The team also includes Rashield Williams, Ronald Woodside and Keishno Major.

Hield, 27, earned his second CAC Games berth after he competed at the 2010 edition in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. He continues to compete at the top of the amateur ranks after he just barely missed a medal at the 2013 AIBA World Championships. 

He spent much of the year as a member of Team Mexico in the World Series of Boxing where he was named “Boxer of the Match” in a 50:45 loss to Mahamed Nurudzinau of Azerbaijan.

Strachan, 22, fights in the middleweight class and has represented the Bahamas on a number of national teams. This was his first CAC Games qualification.

Williams, a 24-year-old junior bantamweight who fought in the bronze-medal round, eagerly anticipated his opportunity to qualify as he prepared for his bout to earn a bronze medal and automatic CAC berth against Carlos Adames of the Dominican Republic.

“I’m looking forward to qualify,” he said. “Everyone on this team is confident, we are working hard and we’re putting in the work. So we are expecting some big things.”

Woodside, a 21-year-old junior welterweight, was defeated by Alexander Espinoza from Nicaragua, but still has an opportunity to qualify based on final point standings.

“My goal is to perfect my skill to the best of my ability and hopefully make it to the Olympic Games,” he said.

Major, the fifth member of the team, lost in the opening round and was eliminated from contention. He has represented the Bahamas at the Junior Olympic Games in 2001 and the Commonwealth Games in 2002.

Seymour, the only AIBA three-star coach in the Bahamas, aid 2014 will be an important year for amateur boxing as fighters begin the process of Olympic qualification for Rio 2016.

“Our programme is very strong. This year is where the preparation for Rio 2016 begins and the CAC is the first step toward that goal. Last year we were very slow in our amateur programme but now we are ready to go,” he said.

“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.”