Bermuda's Caribbean Amateur Boxing Association Championship (CABA) gold medallists Trace Easton and Sharieff Wales are both determined to build on last week's success.

After capturing Bermuda's first-ever medals at the CABA championships in the Bahamas, the duo return home tomorrow and will immediately step up their training in preparation for a Pan-Am Games qualifying competition in the US Virgin Islands.

Both Easton and Wales are eager to represent Bermuda at August's Games in the Dominican Republic.

Having overcome fierce competition as well as gaining valuable experience during the CABA championships, the two locals are well aware of what lies ahead. And both say they are prepared to do whatever it takes to get them to the next level - and beyond.

Easton and Wales carved their names into local boxing history by winning gold in their respective weight divisions.

Easton stopped St.Martin's Lucien Lake in the first round during his light-heavyweight final last Thursday while super-heavyweight Wales went the distance against Bahamian Gareth Scott, winning a split points decision.

"It was a jubilant moment when I first realised that the fight was over," said an elated Easton yesterday. "It was a technical knockout because he (Lake) got three standing eight counts in the same round. So after I got him into trouble the first time I realised that he was dazed. So I just wanted to hurry up and finish the fight."

Easton continued to pound his opponent, forcing the referee to step in and end the fight.

"I was really focused because I didn't like the way my first fight went," added Easton, who took the longest route to the final by going the distance against an opponent from Aruba.

"I really tried to get my mind in gear and Mr. (Forty) Rego and (Leon) Raynor just told us that we had to do well.

"I took a long walk and stretched before the (final) fight. And I also meditated a bit so that when I got out there I wasn't really fazed. I just went out there, did what I had to do and got the job done."

It was Easton's first fight outside of Bermuda.

"It let us know where we have to go and what levels we have to maintain. It also showed us how much harder we will have to train because other countries really take it serious," he added.

Rather than look further down the road to one day turning professional, Easton said he would take his boxing career one step at a time.

"Professional boxing is really far away. There's such a long road to travel in the amateur ranks," he said. "There's just so many other tournaments coming up like the Pan-Am Games, Olympic Games and World Championships and we have to meet those first.

"And if we can accomplish all of those things and get to that level, then everything else will just fall into place as it pertains to the professional ranks."

In the meantime, Easton wants to hit the gym big time.

"I intend returning to Bermuda and training harder than I've ever trained before," said Easton, keen to compete in the Pan-Am Games qualifiers later this summer in the US Virgin Islands. "That's my goal right now."

Also basking in the afterglow of his triumph was Wales, who likewise, has sights on the upcoming Pan-Am Games and beyond.

"There's going to be a lot training and it's going to be a long haul," he declared. "We have a good shot here and I believe that the only person in Bermuda who has ever won a medal at the Olympics is Clarence Hill (bronze, Montreal, 1976). I want to achieve that also."

Wales also had to contend with another opponent inside the ring - a nagging flu bug.

"We all had flu symptoms. So we all fought in the worst conditions possible. It's not easy trying to fight with a cough," he added.

"I just did what I had to do and actually I felt pretty confident heading into that fight. I still had the willpower to go in there and win. And I knew that I had to do it if I wanted to go where it is that I want to go and that's the Olympics.

"I was so exhausted and there was so much pain in my chest that I just had to force myself not to collapse in the ring. But I was able to get over those initial feelings of exhaustion. I was so elated to actually stand at the medal ceremony and receive the gold medal with Bermuda's national anthem playing in the background."