Guyana’s national boxing team departed for St. Lucia today in preparation for the 2025 Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Boxing Championship, which takes place from August 1 to 3.
The six-member squad is led by Abiola Jackman, who made history last year by becoming the first Guyanese—male or female—to win gold at the Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC) Elite Championship. This time, she is poised to become the first female to captain a national boxing team from Guyana, marking a significant step toward promoting gender equality in the sport, as noted by Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle.
Jackman is joined by Akeelah Vancooten, a former national representative at the World Junior Championships, further highlighting the strength of female representation on the squad.
The rest of the team consists of promising Caribbean talents, including Shakquain James, Teevin Wintz, Emanuel Pompey, and Juel Williamson—all of whom are expected to perform well and aim to match or surpass Guyana’s impressive results from last year’s tournament.
Before departure, the team met with Ninvalle, who expressed confidence in their abilities and encouraged them to view the OECS Championship as a valuable opportunity to test their skills against top regional competitors.
At last year’s championship, Guyana finished second overall in the Invitational Category, earning four gold and two silver medals, with Jackman being named Best Female Boxer. The team is determined to build on that success in St. Lucia.
