Dear Editor,
I would like to congratulate the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) and their outstanding athletes who performed excellently at the 5th IPF/NAPF CPC, maintaining Guyana’s dominance in regional powerlifting.
Once again Randolph Morgan, John Edwards, Kenneth Melville, Karel Mars, Colin ‘Mr Clean’ Chesney along with our lone female Dawn Barker, who comprised Team Guyana, made light work of the weights offered them in their categories to bring home six gold medals and one bronze.
Even though unfortunately Chesney was not lucky to gain any medals, we are all proud of the team effort our powerlifting athletes executed to once again keep the golden arrowhead very visible among the other Caribbean countries, letting them know that Team Guyana remains a powerful team with which to contend.
What I find most powerful and astounding is the tremendous adversity under which our powerlifters continue to operate, although they still continue to make us proud in regional competitions. Once again the GAPF is faced with the dilemma of severely inadequate sponsorship, this time forcing the Guyana team to be reduced to six persons. The shameful way corporate Guyana treats powerlifting needs to be significantly addressed by the fFederation and its stakeholders.
Banks DIH the ‘saviour’ of all things sport and Buddies Gym, along with the other business establishments and persons who might have contributed financial assistance, time and energy in fielding this successful Guyana powerlifting team, must be congratulated.
GAPF athletes have continued to set a standard of excellence in the sport of powerlifting both nationally and regionally. I sincerely wish that corporate Guyana could begin to recognize that the sport of powerlifting is a deserving discipline that is worthy of their financial support.
Once again to the GAPF President Mr Peter Green and the executives and athletes of GAPF, I salute you for another display of excellence and discipline in the ugly face of adversity.
Continue to do well and make us proud. One day I sincerely believe that corporate Guyana will finally recognize that the sport of powerlifting has the potential to lift brand awareness and create better brand positioning at home and abroad, should they care to expand their target markets sensibly.
Yours faithfully,
Richard Francois
Dubai
