Ninteen- seventy-two Olympian Courtney Andrew Atherly was finally laid to rest yesterday (Saturday 25 th, November, 200) at the Le Repentir Cemetery after an emotional funeral Service at the St. Pius Roman Cahtolic Curch.
Atherly who represented Guyana at all major games ( Central America And Caribbean, Pan American, Commonwealth and Olympic Games) as an amatuer boxer.
Atherly died last Monday ( 20 th November) from head injuries he suffered after a fall at his home in Guyhoc Park.
Atherly who started his amateur career in 1964 at the Dorcas Club, Durban Street, under coach George Sewsankar, will best be remembered as the only local champion that never lost a fight at home (Guyana), in a career that spaned nine years during time he fought over 60 national and international fights.
Delivering the eulogy was Atherly's brother Lancelot,who, reminisced on his brother;s childhood and adult years before being taken away to the great beyond.
according to Lance, Courtney was a person worhty of everyone's memory.
The sixth of eleven children (fourth son) received his primary education at the St. Ambrose Anglican School, Albertown, and though he was never a scholar in the true sense of the word, he achieved great things in the boxing ring.
The last international games he attended as a boxer was the 1972 Munich Olympics where he lost a controversial decision in his bronze medal fight.
According to Lance, Courtney trained for three months under the watchful eyes of a German coach who accompanied him to the games.
So controversial was the decision that the very coach offered Courtney a contract to fight as a professional but Courtney refused the offer.
Eight years after the Munich Games, Courtney coached Michael Parris, who to date is the only Guyanese to win a medal at the Olympic Games, Parris won a bronze medal at the Moscow games in 1980. (Courtney retired from boxing in 1973). Courtney also coached Winfield Braithwaite to a gold medal at the 1978 Commonwealth Gamed in Canada. During his career, Courtney was a champion of every division from jonior flyweught to lightweight.
According to lance, Courtney was a very mischievous and pugnacious child who never backed down from a street fight and was a true Georgetown 'Scheme boy'.
He was subsequently seconded to the National Sports Development Council (NSDC) as a boxing coach and eventually retired from the Guyana Police Force.
According to Lance, while in the police force, Courtney went to the Albouystown area to effect an arrest with only a baton in his possession and was confronted by the suspect and two friends, all of whom were armed with knives.
In trying to effect teh arrest, Courtney was stabbed in the back, a mark he has gone to his grave with, but fought with the three and sucessfully arrested the suspect and took him to the police station. Courtney has left to mourn his wife Ingrid and six grown children.
Courtesy of the Stabroeknews