TRINIDAD and Tobago’s junior welterweight boxer Kimberly Jackson is being seen as the next Giselle Salandy. The only difference is that she wants to win an Olympic gold medal in Brazil 2016.
Her handlers described her as fast and skillful with the punching power to knock out any opponent she may face in the future…… someone like a Tommy Hearns.
But her preparation was given a major boost by the Caribbean Recreation Initiatives (CRI), a company that supplies sporting equipment. The Chaguanas-based company has pumped a whopping $144, 000 towards Jackson’s drive for Brazil 2016 and has promised that any other assistance needed will be forthcoming. From the sponsorship deal the 15-year-old Marabella Secondary student will be given $3,000 a month for the next four years which will help her with day-to-day expenses, her training and nutrition.
At the company’s headquarters in Chaguanas last week, Operations Manager Anton Hosein explained that they intend to assist Jackson until she realises her dream.
“The company is all about helping sports. The company has provided assistance to many others in the past and we feel that Jackson has the ability to bring home a medal from the Olympics” Hosein said.
He added “We are certain that Jackson can go all the way.” Jackson’s preparations received a major dent with the death of her mother recently at their Siparia home. That tragedy left her in the care of her father who she said is also pensioner. But Jackson was rescued by special adviser to the Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Board (TTBB) Boxu Potts and president of the Amateur Boxing Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ABATT) Cecil Forde. Both men, with the assistance of CRI have placed her in a live-in camp at Marabella where proper schooling, parenting and boxing are being taught.
Jackson is one of many young boxers at the camp in preparation for the Brazil 2016 Olympic Games. Potts said attempts are also on the way to have a special tutor visit the camp on a regular basis to help those who are preparing for CXC examinations. He told the gathering that, like Giselle, they will take good care of little Jackson as they believe she has the talent to be anything she wants to be.
“From the first time that we saw Kimberly we knew that she is someone special. By the time she is 18-years-old she would be six feet and 150 pounds or more, and will be able to beat any female boxer in the world” Potts said. But the outspoken boxing administrator explained that there are lots more to achieve in the sport of boxing in TT. And in outlining his intention for the sport he said they will enter the secondary schools and continue their work in the different communities.
Potts said they will also encourage the different military services to create boxing academies of its own. This according to Potts will help serve the interest of many young boxers who are interested in getting into the police, army and fire services. Potts also reminded young boxers that the sport has be re-accepted at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) which means that young boxers can pursue their degree through the sport.
Forde, the amateur boxing boss thanked CRI for the gesture of sponsoring and gave the assurance that they will not let the country down.
