A LOT of industry and no small measure of pride, but in the end, Barbados’ interest at the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships ended in two more defeats at the first hurdle yesterday afternoon at the Gymnasium of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex, Wildey.

Molissa Narine was the first local pugilist to go the distance, but the experience of Kazakhstan’s Saida Khassenova was too much in a lop-sided 13-0 points decision in their light welterweight bout.

Just minutes later in the other ring, welterweight Kimberley Gittens produced the most encouraging Barbadian display of the championships before succumbing to Norway’s Lotte Lien midway through the fourth and final round.

Gittens, who seemed relaxed and confident from the time her radiant smile greeted the raucous cheers of a few hundred fans in the stand, produced a sound display and was level 1-1 after round one.

The crowd was even more vocal when she went ahead early in round two but Lien hit back to lead 4-3 after two.

The third round changed the course of the contest as Lien surged ahead 9-4, with Gittens having to endure two eight counts after a couple of effective flurries from Lien.

Gittens, obviously tiring and her guard slipping, was down 5-12 a minute into the final round when the referee eventually stopped the fight.

Coach Gary Bowen admitted some deficiencies within his Barbados quartet but maintained an optimistic outlook.

“There are a lot of things we have to work on. Fitness, technique, defence, there are quite a few things to make them better boxers,” he said.

“But what I saw would encourage any coach.”

Bowen said Gittens,18, a dancer and student of the Barbados Community College, showed great maturity despite her youth.

“I was really impressed by Kimberley’s attitude, or mannerisms. She came out there feeling very confident,” he said.

Bowen also said he had hoped Molissa, a 24-year-old soldier in the Barbados Defence Force, would have been more aggressive with her right hooks.

“You could see that she was jabbing and scoring with the jab but was not able to really push what needs to go behind those jabs, whether it was a right hand or a combination,” Bowen said.

“Unfortunately, you do not score points for jabs. I wanted to see more right hands.”

In other bouts yesterday afternoon, the elite boxers continued to underline their skill.

Ireland’s Katie Taylor, the reigning world lightweight champion, won her 97th bout in 103 fights with a 20-5 decision over Brazil’s Adriana Araujo, the Pan American champion.

Taylor did have to endure a standing eight count in the third round but was a class apart.

Two brash Americans also made their mark with Queen Underwood and Cashmere Jackson continuing their impressive run.

Underwood, who won a ill-tempered slugfest in the first round, was a disciplined winner this time around, content to outbox Thailand’s Supaporn Srisondee to a 8-0 points win.

Jackson, however, allowed her inner brawler to come through in a fast-paced encounter that ended with a 13-7 victory over China’s Yang Qinqin, the Asian Championships silver medalist.

share/save

On a mixed day for Indians, Laxmi Padiya (81kg) advanced to the quarterfinals but former champion L. Sarita Devi (51kg) crashed out with a shock second round defeat in the sixth women’s World boxing championships here.

Laxmi beat Ecuador’s Bianca Burgos 7-3 but Turkey’s Sumeyra Yazici surprised Sarita with a 12-8 victory, on Sunday.

Laxmi did the bulk of her scoring in the first two rounds — notching up six points against her opponent’s two. .

Laxmi joins four-time World champion M.C. Mary Kom (48kg) in the quarterfinals.

Sarita, in contrast, fought a tense bout. After trailing 0-3 in the opening round, the Manipuri came back strongly to make it 4-3 in the second round but despite her valiant fight, she could not prevent Yazici from winning

share/save

She loves to be in control and she loves a challenge. Claire King said being involved in shooting satisfied those feelings.

This 24-year-old shooter, who has been a member of the Barbados Rifle and Pistol Federation for the past two years, said from the time she was a child she had always been interested in “weapons”.

“I grew up as a tomboy. I was always interested in things like weapons. I used to make gutterperks from wood at home and I was the only girl who played with the boys. When I was growing up I wanted to join the cadets and my mother stopped me. She told me to do something more ladylike, so that was thwarted,” said the young lady.

King shoots the air pistol and .22 sport pistol. The shooting of these two guns is among the disciplines for female shooters under the International Sport Shooting Federation (ISSF).

“I always wanted to be able to represent Barbados and do something for my country . . . and I know this is an avenue which would allow me to do that.”

She said a part of her motivation came from her shooting partner Ronald Sargeant. King said he would get her to continue whenever she felt “down”.

King said all was not smooth sailing, though, as one week things could be very good and other times “you could be all over the place”, but ironically, that was why she also liked the sport.

“I think I like it because it is challenging. I tried shooting a Glock 9 and the first time I took up that gun I shot all 50 shots in the bull (bulls eye) and I was like, wow,” said the enthusiastic shooter.

After finishing her probation classes in February 2009, King was ready for “war”. Her first regional competition came about three months later during the Cibel d’Or regional shooting competition, at which she won a bronze medal.

“I shot my second highest score I have ever shot in my life. So because I got success so quickly it really encouraged me to go on. I also realised that it is challenging to get back there. I only ever shot that score again about six or seven times in the year because it is a mental sport and anything can affect you.

“If you are having stress or things on your mind and you bring all of that into shooting, it really throws off your aim. We like to say shooting is 95 per cent mental and five per cent talent.

King has also competed in other big games.

“I brought all of those nerves there and as a result my hands were going all over the place so I didn’t do as well as I wanted. But we won a team bronze in Copa last year in Martinique and a team silver in Cibel d’Or,” she quipped.

King, who is a teacher by profession, attended Erdiston Primary School, Christ Church Foundation School and the Barbados Community College, after which she attended the University of the West Indies where she earned a bachelor’s degree with a major in literatures in English and a minor in education.

She said she had had a passion for teaching since attending primary school and now teaches at the Alleyne School, after starting out at Christ Church Foundation.

King is now the youngest person shooting with the Barbados Rifle and Pistol Federation. She said shooting was all she did these days with her free time.

“If I am not shooting, I am home sleeping. I think right now shooting is my hobby. I do that in all of my free time. I get up on mornings and go to the gym, go to school and after school I go to the range and then home. And on weekends I am at the range, so it is my hobby – it is all I do right now,” smiled King.

She said the sport was an opportunity to travel, meet new people and experience other cultures around the world. King, who has travelled about four times since she started shooting, said she was looking forward to visiting Santo Domingo, Mexico and possibly Brazil as she and some of her shooting colleagues compete next year.

Noting that shooting was an expensive sport, King advised those interested to get involved at an early age “so they would have a longer span to progress and grow in it”.

She said there was never one type of feeling when shooting.

“I get mixed feelings because it is so challenging to perfect shooting. You cannot only get one emotion doing shooting. I think it is kind of empowering because you are in full control. . . it is a little frustrating when I can’t get the shot I want, but when I am able to get a bull it is extremely fulfilling.

“The worst part is when I put in all the preparation and I come to a match having prepared the way I think I should and nothing goes right for me . . . something like nerves get in the way,” she explained.

“It is a challenge trying to continuously perfect this art and I think I like it. . . but if I had started it and was failing I probably wouldn’t have continued,” she said.

King has also competed in other big games.

“I have taken part in other regional annual competitions, the Copa and the CAC games that recently concluded. That was my first big competition with all the other countries. When I got on that stage I was very nervous.

share/save

Jamaica’s star Veronica Campbell-Brown’s return to indoor competition ended in defeat as the sprinter was beaten into second place in the women’s 60m dash.Campbell-Brown, who switched coach last year, finished second to American Lisa Barber in a very tight finish which saw both runners being credited with the same time of 7.24seconds.

American Olympian Muna Lee finished third in 7.25secs, with Bianca Knight taking fourth in 7.32.
The men’s race went to Ivory Williams in 6.59secs. Michael Rodgers was second 6.60, while Antigua’s Daniel Bailey (6.63) was fourth after a poor start.
Priscilla Lopes-Schliep continued her dominance over the hurdles at the meeting. The Canadian clocked 8.01secpmd to beat Americans Tiffany Ofili (8.04) and Virginia Powell (8.07) in the women’s 60m hurdles.
Terrence Trammell won the men’s race in 7.49secs and he defeated Ryan Brathwaite, the Barbadian World champion 7.61.

share/save

The 26-year-old Edwards is strongly-built, has a bustling approach to the wicket and delivers with a high, powerful action.

He spent some seasons learning his trade on the league circuit in England and he has been on the fringe of the Barbados senior team for several years.

Edwards earned selection as a replacement for Kemar Roach, who leaves the region today for West Indies duties in the limited-overs series in Australia.

Edwards is expected to share the new ball with experienced left-arm pacer Pedro Collins.

The other changes in the 13-man squad see batsman Kyle Hope coming back to replace all-rounder Dwayne Smith, who is also in the Windies team to Australia.

Barbados are second in the standings on 21 points from three matches – 12 for their win over Combined Campuses and Colleges, six for first innings lead in the draw against Trinidad and Tobago, and three for the loss of first innings lead in the draw against the Leeward Islands.

Play in that WICB First-class match will start at 1:00 pm and it will be the second match this season using the pink ball, after the Trinidad and Tobago/Guyana second-round match in Antigua.

BARBADOS SQUAD – Ryan Hinds (captain), Dale Richards, Jason Haynes, Kirk Edwards, Kyle Hope, Shamarh Brooks, Rashidi Boucher, Kevin Stoute, Patrick Browne, Corey Edwards, Pedro Collins, Tino Best and  Nikolai Charles.

share/save

Frost having a great tournament taking out two ranked juniors Seanon Williams in the first round and Devard Wharton in the quarterfinals, then going on to beat Davis Cup competitor Ryan Moseley in the semis, found the going much tougher against the all round game and athleticism of King. The match produced some high level tennis with long rallies and King had to concentrate to overcome the experience of Frost but Frost’s usual serve and volley game was no match for King’s decisive passing shots.

In ladies doubles Sherry Belle continued her winning form teaming up
with daughter Kareike Wharton to win the semis against Rosie Roach and junior Cherese Slocombe winning the match 6-2, 6-2. She is also in the final of the ladies 35’s singles against Rosie Roach and will play Gabriella Lopez in the open final.

Dr Raymond Forde and partner Julian Baird had their second consecutive win over junior doubles pairs emerging victorious over Jackson Kerr and Mykell Reifer. In the first round they took out Yannick Hooper and Devard Wharton by the same score. They now meet the #1 seeds Darian and Christopher King in the semi-finals.

The ‘Courtesy Garage Top 8’ also served off as the top 8 players for the year are invited to play off for the title. This year’s invitees match up with Darian King versus Hassani Stewart, Mykell Reifer will play Seanon Williams, Ryan Mosley has an encounter with Devard Wharton and the last match will be between Bernard Frost and Duncan Evanson.

share/save

It took three attempts for the athletes to settle down for the start, because they seemed to feel it was not quiet enough in the arena. But then they went off at the first attempt. Dexter Faulk was quickest out of the blocks in lane 3, but Ryan Braithwaite running in lane 5 closed the small gap very soon. For about two thirds of the race the two were joint leaders but then the World Champion moved away with splendid technique. He only had a slight contact at one hurdle on his way to victory and to the $ 30,000 prize. All the others he took excellent. That made the difference.

“All eyes were on me,” said World Champion Braithwaite and added: “Surely with Liu, Robles and Oliver in the race I could have run faster.” The 21 year-old is convinced that he can do much better. “I ran 13.16 only giving 80 percent of what I am capable of. Next year I feel I can run sub 13 seconds.”

share/save

At 21 years of age, Brathwaite became the youngest ever champion in the history of the event at the IAAF World Championships and the first ever athlete from Barbados to not only win a medal but a gold medal in this competition.

Yet it took the Bridgetown-born more than five minutes to realize that he had achieved his ultimate goal. The announcer called his name once, twice, three times, but Brathwaite wasn’t sure yet. He waited until his name eventually appeared on the screen board to celebrate.

It came as no surprise that he should be cautious as only one hundredth of a second separated first from third. His 13.14 national record had the better over the US pair of Terrence Trammell who added yet another silver to his resume and David Payne who defended his bronze medal from Osaka, both credited with 13.15.

“My brain was blank,” he confessed about the seconds following his race. “I was so happy, shocked. I could say nothing, I was in a whole different world.”

True to his young age Brathwaite candidly admits that he “glanced to the right and glanced to the left and saw it was real close. I just told myself, ‘man I hope I don’t end with silver or bronze…I was praying for the gold medal.”

Brathwaite has been a promising up and coming athlete winning silver at the 2005 IAAF World Youth Championships. Two years on and still a Junior he competed at the Osaka World Championships where he advanced to the semi-finals. He also made the semis at the Beijing Olympic Games where he broke the national senior record with his 13.38 performance in the heats.

That was eight months after he moved from his native Barbados to Great Bend, Kansas, USA to attend the Barton County Community College. But it wasn’t until the fall of 2008 that he met the man who he believes deserves the credit for having turned him into a gold medal winner.

“I train with Matt Kane in a small town called Great Bend in Kansas. We have great training facilities and the place is small. It’s good, there’s nothing around it so it’s good I can focus on track and field,” he laughs.

“I have a lot of thanks to give to my coach. There is no other coach better than him. We have worked hard on my strength and my technique. Coach told me I could win. He believed in me. He just said ‘please get over the last hurdle.’ And that’s what I did.”

“I am so proud now. I would like to thank everyone who helped me get here and everyone who came to watch and supported me. It was a great crowd.”

Coach Kane was just as proud a man as his young champion. “It’s unbelievable. You know the hurdles is the sort of event where you can easily come first or you can easily come last.

“I started working with Ryan in the fall; he has matured a lot since I took him on. We worked on strength and technique and did a lot of drills work. The hurdles is an “old” race so for him to win at 21 is unbelievable. I believe there is still a lot more for him to come.”

Kane admitted that Brathwaite’s winning race tonight was probably the worst race he’s seen him run.

“Usually I would rate his technique 9 out of 10 but tonight, honestly… I would give him a 5 or a 6. It was probably his worst race but he made it look good.”

So what made the difference?

“Just a lot of want to,” the coach has no doubt. “He is extremely strong. If he had run the first 30 metres differently tonight he would certainly have gone close to 13 flat and it wouldn’t have been that close a finish.

“Just before the final we spoke a lot, we went over the things that he already knew. I told him it’s a rhythm race and his rhythm is better than anyone else’s. I explained to him that life after the final would be the same as before the final so just stay relax and run over the last hurdle.”

Brathwaite has had an incredible season coming into these Championships lowering his own national record three times. In the Olympic stadium here in Berlin he convincingly won his heat yesterday and then his semi final in what was his fourth Barbados record of the season at 13.18 only to lower it by a further 4 hundredths a couple of hours later.

Former World record holder Colin Jackson had predicted he would be among the top three a week ago and a potential candidate to gold.

His breakthrough at the highest level was also expected by the man who had the best result for his country before him, namely 2000 Olympic bronze medallist Obadele Thompson whose best showing at World Champs was a fourth place.

Thomspon said:  “It was only a matter of the right timing and circumstances before he revealed his true abilities and competitiveness.

“I am not surprised that he won. Over the past few weeks, I have been texting and emailing him about being World Champion. Up to last night I emailed and told him to ‘take no prisoners’. He is a tremendous talent and competitor – as shown in him pulling out a tough victory against seasoned competitors.

“I believe that when he matures and improves his technique he could threaten the World record.  I hope that he has a long career filled with many more titles and records. I only wish I was in Berlin to sing the Barbados National Anthem with him.”

share/save

Ryan Braithwaite continued to prove Caribbean form by winning a nail bighter of a finish in the 110M Hurdles at the World Championships.  One one hundredth of a second was the difference between first and second as Braithwaite set a new National Record to sit atop the podium ahead of the Americans Payne and Tremell. The Caribbean was also represented by Maurice Wignall and Dwight Thomas in the final. The end result was as follows:

1     Ryan Brathwaite     BAR     13.14     (NR)     0.157
2     Terrence Trammell     USA     13.15         0.141
3     David Payne     USA     13.15         0.122
4     William Sharman     GBR     13.30     (PB)     0.125
5     Maurice Wignall     JAM     13.31     (SB)     0.151
6     Petr Svoboda     CZE     13.38         0.144
7     Dwight Thomas     JAM     13.56         0.145
8     Wei Ji     CHN     13.57         0.144

share/save

Marques Clarke took 3-29 for Barbados who made 145-7 off 47.3 overs in reply despite 4-15 from 10 overs from left-arm spinner Antony Adams in a game marred by several poor Umpiring decisions against both teams.

Electing to bat in overcast conditions, Guyana lost Trevon Griffith (1) in the first over when he gloved a pull at Jason Holder for the Keeper to hold the low leg-side offering with just 2 runs on the board. Alex Amsterdam and Jeetendra Sookdeo took the score to 11 on another slow track and parched and rough outfield before Sookdeo (5) again played with little purpose and was caught behind trying to steer Clarke to 3rd man.

Jonathon Foo hit 2 fours in his 13 before he flicked a leg-side catch off Clarke to Mario Rampersaud to give the Bajan Keeper the 3rd of his five catches in the innings and leave Guyana on 33-3 in the 10th over.

Amsterdam (15) pushed forward to left-arm spinner Jomal Warrican and was caught behind at 45-4 while Vice-Captain Royston Alkins who took 14 balls to get off the mark, seemed very unfortunate to be given LBW to Warrican for 13 at 72-5 in the 25th over.

Skipper Anthony Bramble (7) tried to play a ball which turned away from him through the on-side off the back foot and only succeeded in edging a catch to the Keeper as Guyana catapulted to 88-6 even as the sun returned in all of its glory.

Hetmyer again looked solid and used his feet well to the spinners before another very poor Umpiring decision sent him LBW to Cummins for 28 from 54 balls at 105-7 in the 36th over as the Guyana struggles in this year’s competition continued.

Andre Stoll and Adams were quickly removed for ducks as Guyana slipped to 114-9 before fast bowlers Keon Joseph (24*) and Seon Daniels (10) added 27 for the last wicket before Daniels swept Chase to deep backward square to end the innings.

Chase finished with 3-21 while Warrican (2-24), Clarke (2-29) and Cummins (2-33) supported for Barbados who reached 5-0 off 4 overs by lunch.

After the interval, Kraigg Braithwaite, a member of the West Indies Test squad last month, and the left-handed Anthony Alleyne carried Barbados to 12 in scorching sun before Alleyne (4) and Raymond Reifer (0) fell in the space of a run.

Alleyne was brilliantly caught at point on the 2nd attempt by Alkins off Joseph while Reifer edged Daniels to the Keeper.

Adams removed Kyle Mayers (12) as Barbados, who struggled against controlled bowling, slipped to 38-3 in 16 overs.

Braithwaite, who could not get the ball off the square and was dropped by Griffith off Daniels on 9 at 14-2, edged a cut off Adams to the Keeper at 43-4 in the 22nd over.

The right-handed Braithwaite laboured for 82 minutes and 66 balls for his 21 and he was soon followed into the pavilion by Shane Dowrich (3) who swept the nagging Adams to deep backward square at 65-5.

Chase, who hit 4 fours in 28 from 58 balls, was then stumped off the final ball of Adam’s spell to leave the score on 73-6 in the 32nd over and Holder (29) fell to Griffith at 111-7,

Man-of-the-Match Cummins (34 not out from 44 balls with 4 fours) and Rampersaud saw their team home with 2.3 overs remaining.

Sookdeo’s part time spin was used ahead of Stoll who surprisingly only bowled one over and with 15 needed from 3 overs, 13 were taken from Sookdeo’s over as Barbados rushed to victory.

Guyana played an unchanged team from the one which beat the Windwards on Saturday and after a break today take on hosts Jamaica tomorrow at Melbourne in their next game. While Barbados face the Leewards tomorrow at Jamalco.

Manager Alvin Johnson informed that the players will not practice today but will use the free day to rest. He also said Herrell Greene will visit the doctor today for a groin injury while Alkins spent the latter part of the Barbados innings off the field.  Amsterdam, who again had an economical spell (10-2-17-0), was also off the field suffering from a slight back strain.

Scoreboard

Guyana Innings

T Griffith c Wkp Rampersaud b Holder    1
J Sookdeo c Wkp Rampersaud b Clarke     5
A Amsterdam cWkp Rampersaud             15
J Foo c Wkp Rampersaud b Clarke           13
R Alkins b Warrican                                  13
S Hetmyer lbw b Cummins                        28
A Bramble cWkp Rampersaud b Cummins 7
K Joseph not out                                         24
A Stoll lbw b Chase                                     0
A Adams c Braithwaite b Chase                  0
S Daniels c Mayers b Chase                       10
Extras (b-5, lb-7, w-13)                           25
Total (all out off 44.1 overs)         141

share/save