Close to 2500 people are expected to come to Barbados for the International Amateur Boxing Association’s (AIBA) Women World Boxing Championships.
That is the word from Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and Women’s Commission of AIBA, Joyce Bowen.?? She said the contingent will include the boxers, theirr families, friends, coaches and managers; international technical officials, including referee judges, the medical jury and AIBA family.
Mrs. Bowen’s comments came after giving an official welcome at a cocktail reception last Wednesday night at Golden Sands Hotel for 45 women from 39 countries who are participating in AIBA’s Road to Barbados Programme, an intense two-week training workshop, which started last Monday.
Over 700 boxers from 85 countries are expected to compete in the championships which will be held at the Wildey Gymnasium from September 9 to 18.
Mrs. Bowen said preparations were going well, adding that the boxers in the Road to Barbados Programme were currently undergoing intense training and "they are looking good", so "Barbados is in for a real show of fantastic boxing".
She added though that she was still concerned about sponsorship, but expressed optimism that more sponsors would come on board. "I think everybody is getting a feel now, everybody is excited. I cannot see corporate Barbados not feeling what we are feeling.?? I expect a really fantastic championship… I know we can do this, we have a hardworking LOC and the members of the Amateur Boxing Association of Barbados are all working together," the official stressed.
During the reception, board member of the Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA), Senator Peter Gilkes, welcomed the boxers and encouraged them to find time to go on tour of the island.
Mr. Gilkes stressed that the boxing championships fitted in nicely with the BTA’s sports tourism programme. "Barbados has moved into many areas of new sporting adventures and we have taken on sailing in the last couple of years and will continue to do more sailing, and boxing is a new area for us," he told the gathering.
Those at the reception included, Competition Manager, Andrew Sealy;?? Head Coach for Road to Barbados, Nino Fracasso; and his assistant, Dr. Christy Halbert.??saustin@barbados.gov.bb