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| Acting Prime Minister Ronald Jones (right),??presenting Barbadian boxing champion Miguel Antoine with the??Commonwealth Boxing Council’s Zonal Championships trophy during a ceremony??at the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development. (G. Brewster/BGIS)?? |
Twenty-three-year-old Barbadian boxer Miguel Antoine, who emerged winner of the inaugural Commonwealth Boxing Council Zonal Championships, was presented with his award last Saturday by acting Prime Minister Ronald Jones, during a ceremony at the Ministry of Education, Constitution Road, St. Michael.
In his address, Mr. Jones congratulated Mr. Antoine for what he termed "his significant and pioneering achievement", which, he said, was a testimony of what this country’s youth could achieve.
Mr. Jones called for the need to professionalise the whole approach to amateur boxing in Barbados, so as "to bring more of our youth and young people of the calibre of Miguel Antoine to the fore to develop that skill and the talent which persons like Miguel and others possess."
The acting Prime Minister maintained that sports formed part of a major thrust of government’s initiatives.?? However, he contended that with respect to boxing, the sport "has been faltering for a number of years" and "there is still much work to be done".
He encouraged persons to see the benefits of the sport as promoting a healthy lifestyle, while developing the mind and body in a holistic manner. Mr. Jones noted that amateur boxing also provided an avenue for boxers to move on to the professional realm, where financial dividends could be attained.
The ceremony was witnessed by Director of the Commonwealth Boxing Council, Roosevelt King; Advisor to the Commonwealth Boxing Council and Founder of the Caribbean Sports Awards, Al Hamilton; and Founder of the Commonwealth Sports Awards and Director of sponsor Thump Monkey, Tim O’Brien.????