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Trinidad and Tobago turned on a warm welcome on Monday to the athletes and officials who have arrived on the eve of the 1st AIBA Americas Olympic Qualification Tournament in the capital Port of Spain.

A total of 163 boxers from more than 25 countries are expected to participate in what is the fifth of 10 AIBA Olympic qualifying events and the first on the Americas continent. The second and final Americas qualifying tournament will be held in Guatemala from April 24-29.

After missing the opening Olympic qualification event - the AIBA World Championships Chicago 2007 - boxing heavyweights Cuba have sent a full line-up of 11 boxers to Trinidad and Tobago. Brazil and Ecuador are expected to be the only other two nations to also boast a full complement of boxers.

The 60kg division looks to be the toughest of the 11 different weight classes with 2005 world champion and 2007 Pan American Games winner Hernandez Yordanis Ugas (CUB) expected to face 2007 Pan Am Games silver and bronze medallists Everton Lopez (BRA) and Jose Pedraza (PUR) respectively. 

The full list of competitors will not be confirmed until the official weigh-in and draw takes place on Wednesday morning at 10:00 (local time).The opening ceremony will take place on Tuesday at 16:30 (local time) while the opening bouts will start at 14:00 (local time) on Wednesday.

A total of 23 Olympic vacancies are on offer at this tournament followed by a further 23 in Guatemala.