Natif Natal Foundation Launches Fundraising Campaign as Games Approach
After hundreds of hours training, tens of thousands of punches thrown and gallons of sweat poured into countless workouts; Darrelle “Blast” Valsaint Jr. is now Haiti’s gold medal boxing hopeful for the upcoming 2020ne Olympics in Tokyo. The Natif Natal Foundation has launched a fundraising campaign to support, close out Blast’s training before and give the prodigious middle-weight pugilist the perfect Tokyo send off on Monday, July 19th, 2021.
Growing up a first-generation Haitian-American in Orlando, FL, Darelle “Blast” Valsaint Jr. grew up an unruly youth in a single-family home with his mom, two brothers and one sister. First introduced to the boxing gym at the age of 12 after his behavior got him kicked out of every school he attended; “Blast” dropped out of high school at age 17 and devoted his life to his Olympic dreams.
“Anpil Men Chay Pa Lou is a common Haitian proverb meaning, ‘With Many Hands the Work is Light.’ Natif Natal Foundation seeks your support to reach our Olympic fundraising goal of $50,000! Your investment will help to continue covering the expenses of proper preparation, training, travel, recovery measures, nutrition/supplementation and real resources that world-class athletes like Darelle “Blast” Valsaint need to compete on the world stage,” says Faisal Tavernier, President of Natif Natal Foundation.
Blast claimed the Gold medal in the 2019 Haitian National Games, the 2019 Creole Games, and the Gold at the 2019 world famous Sugar Bert Amateur Tournament in Florida. Just as Blast was beginning to mature and excel as a fighter; the Coronavirus pandemic shut-down the world, the 2020 Olympics were cancelled, and Valsaint’s hope for competing were smashed. Confused, depressed and angry, Blast backslid and the lure of the streets almost trapped him. Fortunately he evaded incarceration and plunged back into his dream.
On June 17th, 2021, it was announced Haiti gained an additional wild card slot in boxing and Valsaint was selected to fight in the Middleweight division in Tokyo. Through all the uncertainty of his life and with the help and support of the Natif Natal Foundation, the Federacion de Boxe Haitian, the Haitian Olympic Committee; his coaches Shihan Robert Rene and Daniel “Haitian Sensation” Edouard, the time has arrived for Darrelle “Blast” Valsaint to carry the Haitian flag into the Olympic stadium to represent the hope of a nation.
Though so much can be said about Darrelle “Blast” Valsaint’s whirlwind life, his Olympic journey will be one that legends are made of. Support for Darrelle “Blast” Valsaint can be made through a GoFundMe page https://gofundme/99ed93bb
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/Blastdachamp
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Natif.Natal.Foundation.Haiti
Website: www.natifnatal.life
Hashtags: #BlastdaChamp #DarrelleValsaint #DarrelleBlast #Blast202One
For more information on Darelle “Blast” Valsaint log on to www.natifnatal.life or email info@natifnatal.life.
For more information, interviews or media inquiries call 718-213-1702 or email publicity@kechthis.com.
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About Natif Natal Foundation:
Natif Natal Foundation (NNF) is a nonprofit organization rooted in Haitian & Creole culture, heritage, and history and dedicated to preserving, teaching, and promoting them as a tool of empowerment for all.
