Guyana’s Powerlifters will begin their quest for individual gold medals at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Powerlifting Championships today in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.

In action today will be the 5th Caribbean Men’s Masters 75kg champion Winston Stoby who will compete in the Men’s Open as well as the Masters’ categories.

Recently crowned Caribbean 82kg champion, Randolph Morgan, is scheduled to go into action tomorrow.

Morgan will go head-to-head with former World Champion Wade Hooper of the United States of America (USA) in a showdown that will be broadcast live on the internet.

Morgan is one of 10 lifters selected (male and female) out of a total of 170 lifters chosen for live viewing in action. Viewing can be accessed at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/north-american-powerlifting-championships.

National junior 110kg champion Kenneth Melville and Caribbean 110kg silver medalist Richard Seymour both of Essequibo will be participating for the first time.

Team Guyana was unable to field a strong team comprising a mixed blend of juniors and seniors owing to the fact that three of the country’s best juniors from Berbice including Vijai Rahim were denied US visas.

Rahim, who competes in the 56kg weight class, was expected to attempt the existing world sub junior record for the dead lift which he has reportedly been achieving comfortably in training.
He has already broken the regional record at the recently held National Junior Powerlifting Championships here although the absence of three internationally certified judges meant the lift could not be officially ratified.

However, the federation has stated its intention of assisting Rahim to claim the prestigious title before he goes over the age limit in January 2011.

Meanwhile, the senior National Championships are billed for later in the year and the federation says it will send a request to the IPF/NAPF to have three international judges here as Rahim attempts to break the record.