After making history at this summer’s qualifying tournaments in Panama, V.I. boxers Tiffany Reddick and Clayton Laurent left St. Thomas on Thursday for Guadalajara, Mexico, where they will be competing in the 2011 Pan American Games.

This is the first time the territory has sent a female boxer to the event. Reddick qualified for the Pan American Games after posting big wins at the final qualifier in July, including a 10-8 defeat over an opponent from Nicaragua that earned her the gold medal.

No stranger to competition, Laurent has over 20 amateur bouts under his belt, including an impressive 12-10 win over his opponent from Panama during this summer’s qualifier, which earned him a spot in this year’s competition.

The boxers are being accompanied by two officials from the Virgin Islands Boxing Federation. Opening ceremonies for the 2011 Pan American Games are scheduled for Friday morning.