by MIKE KING

SHAWN TERRY COX and Anderson Emmanuel have earned the right to fight at the 15th Pan American Games slated for Brazil in July.

Both of them made the grade at the Pan Am trials in Argentina and have qualified to box in Rio de Janiero.

A third Barbadian, lightweight Omar Ward, led for most of the way in his bout with a fighter from the United States Virgin Islands, but faded in the closing minute and lost narrowly on points.

Last chance

Ward, 24, a product of Alma Parris, has one last chance to qualify when he travels with coach Gary Bowen to Trinidad and Tobago next month.

Cox, 32, the only Barbadian in any sport to strike gold at the 2002 CAC Games in El Salvador, was easily the most impressive of the trio in Buenos Aires.

He stopped an opponent from Chile in his opening bout, and then had a commanding points victory, 27-11, in his light heavyweight semi-final clash with a Venezuelan. In the final, Cox, the 2005 Sportsman Of The Year, lost to an American.

Lucky to qualify

Emmanuel, 22, winner of a bronze medal at last year's Commonwealth Games in Australia, was somewhat lucky to qualify as he did not even win a fight. He drew a bye and got into the qualifying heavyweight semi-final round where he lost to a Venezuelan.

There were three qualifiers from all classes above the middleweight division, and four for the categories below.

Barbados have never won a boxing medal at the Pan Am Games and are without a gold of any kind at the multi-sport event. The country's medal count at the Games stands at nine comprising three silvers and six bronze.

Bantamweight weightlifter Anthony "Mango" Phillips, won two of those silvers (1967 and 1971) and 400-metre hurdler, Andrea Blackett, the other in 1999.

The 15th Pan American Games are slated for Rio de Janiero, Brazil, from July 13 to 29, with an estimated 5 500 athletes from 43 countries down to take part in 28 sports.