The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) has fielded participants in sailing, tennis, swimming, athletics, golf and wrestling but not boxing for the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.

The Bahamas Boxing Federation (BBF) submitted two candidates to be considered for the multi-sports team, including veteran boxer Carl Hield and Rashield Williams.However, only Williams was selected.

The Pan American Games was supposed to provide an opportunity for both boxers to try and qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games but they will now have to await another opportunity next year.

According to Vincent Strachan, BBF president, the BOC informed him that Hield was not selected due to his age and recent performances.

“They said that he was too old and that his recent performances were not up to par and they were not prepared to invest any more money in him,” Strachan said.

The president added that Hield was dedicated to representing The Bahamas at the amateur level which resulted in him delaying his professional debut.

Hield, who is preparing to make his professional debut in Cali, Colombia this weekend, recently competed at a Pan American Games qualifier where he won his first match but lost the second.

Williams, who was selected to the team, participated at the Central American and Caribbean Games where he won his opening match against Donnel Phillip, of Trinidad & Tobago, 4-1. However, he came up short in his second match against Cuba’s Erislandy Alvarez 5-0. Despite being approved by the BOC, Williams opted to instead support fellow boxer Hield this weekend for his pro debut at the International Knockout Night against Colombian John Blanco.

With age playing a factor in the decision to not approve the 36-year-old for the team, Strachan questions their decision as the 39-year-old Donald Thomas was selected for the high jump event.

“I don’t have a problem with any athlete no matter how old they are participating and representing The Bahamas…the lack of competition always affects a boxer and track and field athletes have more opportunities to go to different events and participate…in the case of boxers, funding is most important without those regular competitions it puts you at a disadvantage,” the BBF president said.

Despite some tough bouts this year, at the Sugar Bert Boxing WBC Tournament in Kissimmee, Florida Hield earned a gold and silver medal.

He remains dedicated to pressing forward although it was a devastating blow to the veteran boxer he is hopeful to have one last shot at achieving his childhood dream, making it to the Olympics.

To protect boxers the International Boxing Association (IBA) does not allow competitors to compete after the age of 40. As previously mentioned, the decorated amateur boxer is 36-years-old.

In his amateur tenure, Hield has earned gold medals at the Sugar Bert Boxing Tournament on multiple occasions and finished as a quarterfinalist at the CAC and Pan American qualifiers in 2018 and 2019.

“All is not lost but he wanted to go to the Olympics because that was his lifelong dream since he started boxing around 13/14 this will be his last chance to try and compete in the Olympics unlike the other athletes who can compete as long as they are able to,” he said.

More opportunities to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games will continue next year but after not participating with the Pan American Games team for The Bahamas, Williams and Hield will have to fund their journeys to qualify out of their own pockets or seek sponsorship.

Romell Knowles, president of the BOC, opted not to comment on this matter when contacted by the press yesterday.

The PanAm Games begin on Friday and continue until November 5.

Hield competes in the welterweight division on Saturday at 6pm.