BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
Their jaws might be a little too sore to
enjoy the fantastic cuisine while visiting Italy, but 10 boxers
from the Ontario National Training Centre (ONTC) in Azilda
aren't worrying about it.
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Left to right: Justin Ceskauskas,
Craig Grillanda, Amy Rewega and Ryan Rannelli are
heading to Italy in November to hone their European
boxing skills. |
In early November, the team will travel to
the boot-shaped country. ONTC head coach Gord Apolloni is using
the international action as a way to gauge his boxers, and help
them prepare for the potential gruelling road to the next
Olympic Games.
The groundwork for the trip was laid in 2000,
when a team of pugilists from Italy boxed at the Italian
Festival in Sudbury. The threat of SARs ruined plans for the
two boxing nations to meet again in 2003.
"We're going to be in Rome, so not only will
they be boxing, but they will see the Coliseum and other sites,
so it will be a great education for them," said Apolloni. "Our
boxers will be up against some tough boxers. The European style
is different from the North American style, so we need to
expose our boxers now to this kind of competition. It gets them
used to it early in their career. This trip will help build
their careers."
Heading to the boot-shaped country are: Adam
Healey, Ryan Rannelli, Tim Larocque, Justin Ceskauskas, Matt
Shelswell, Justin Bonhomme, Craig Grillanda, Michel Farrell,
Amy Rewega and Karen Bell.
The boxers range in age from age 16 to
34.
Rannelli, 19, is taking his first
out-of-country trip as a springboard to help further cement his
status as a premier up-and-coming boxer.
"I am going to use this as a stepping stone
towards the provincial championships," said Rannelli. "I want
to win gold at provincials, then go to
nationals to do a lot more international
competition. I want to win medals for Canada in boxing. Canada
hasn't won a lot of medals at the Olympics in boxing.
Hopefully, I can use this to build up for the 2008
Olympics."
Rewega, 19, although quite raw in terms of
fighting experience, is overjoyed to be going.
"This will be one of my first fights," said
Rewega. "Just going to Italy alone will be an experience. I am
really excited for this. I have never been on a
plane before. It will help a lot with my
training. There's only so much you can get out of training in
Sudbury. We all train the same way and work together. It's good
to go to other places because they have different coaches and
we'll learn different styles."
Grillanda, 23, is looking forward to testing
his pugilistic skills against the Italians.
"My family is from Italy, so I am going home
to the motherland," said Grillanda. "I am looking forward to
the bouts, and experiencing a different
culture outside of Sudbury. It's great
because some of my relatives in Italy will come watch my
fights."
Ceskauskas, 16, also can't wait to
depart.
"I will go there and try my hardest and learn
as much as I can," said Ceskauskas.
Anyone wishing to help financially support
the boxers for the trip can do so by calling ONTC at
963-2693.
