In a sport dominated by men in Guyana, Dawn Mc Cammon-Barker has set out to prove that she can powerlift just the same, setting a standard that has never been achieved by any other woman in Guyana in the sport.
The Lindener was the first Guyanese woman to squat 400 pounds back in 2006 when she first entered the sport; she also quit in that year to focus on studies where she is reading for a Degree in Nursery Education at the University of Guyana. However, her passion and love for the sport drove her to return last year, further lifting the bar, no pun intended, for excellence and she created more history by squatting over 500 pounds.
This feat was achieved at the 5th IPF/NAPF Caribbean Powerlifting and Benchpress Championships in the Cayman Islands last month. The 30-year-old en route to winning her gold medal in the women’s championship at the meet set records in all her routines: squat, bench press and deadlift.
It was the greatest feeling she ever had especially since that was her first international outing, she told Stabroek Sport. Remembering the championships, which she almost missed because of financial difficulties experienced by the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation prior to departure, she said she was nervous but she rose above it to become Caribbean champion.
The mother of one and wife was born to Shirleyann Brusche and Benjamin Mc Cammon on August 25, 1980. She attended the Mackenzie Primary School before moving on to Mackenzie High and then to Queen’s College.
She would later become a teacher at the Watooka Nursery School at age 18 before attending the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and University of Guyana. During her tenure at school she threw the shot putt and discus and admitted that she always loved sport and physical activities despite being “big”.
Small wonder the darling of local powerlifting also dabbled in netball, basketball and volleyball. However, her path would lead her to the heights of powerlifting in Guyana after her late father-in-law Samuel Barker felt she had the potential to become a top powerlifter.
He felt that she had the size and then there was her bloodline, with her uncle being Mike Brusche, a former national basketballer. With this endorsement from her mentor Mc Cammon-Barker would set out to prove to herself at the Upper Demerara Gym that she was capable and then later prove to everyone else that she would succeed.
She won her first national title in 2006 at age 26 competing against five other ladies. Mc Cammon-Barker was even touted as the strongest woman in the Caribbean by a relative. But her plans for continuum in the sport were punctuated since she was about on another journey ion her life – pursuing a degree and managing a household.
She indicated to Stabroek Sport earlier in the week that initially it was challenging but the support of family and husband Colin Barker saw her through. But all the while she was attending the University that passion for powerlifting never waned.
She continued training during her sabbatical from the sport.
Her best friend Samantha Aaron, who is also a teacher, would constantly ask her why she loved a sport that offered no monetary incentives. But for Dawn it never was the money, although she hopes that one day monetary incentives would be awarded.
Dawn indicated that she keeps going because the people of Linden and family have always supported her and despite the queries of her friend she has always been supportive. Samantha told Stabroek Sport that Dawn is a stubborn person but Mc Cammon-Barker believes that she “should take charge and do what she loves and believes.”
On her return she was the only lady competing and this did not daunt her spirits. Instead, she willed herself to become better. There were many challenges especially financially to get supplements but she indicated that she was never one to give up easily.
Additionally, she said she felt lonely and made a call for more women to join the sport. To allay fears she said that she is a woman and the sport does not make her feel any less but rather more of a woman.
She indicated that she is diabetic and the sport helps her with keeping her blood sugar at manageable proportions.
These challenges, for Dawn are channelled into positive energy when she is competing although she revealed that every time she sets foot on stage she becomes instantly nervous. “My palms get sweaty and I start to tremble”, she said.
However, the sacrifices that she has made and the expectations of so many make help her to zone out and concentrate. “I am a different person, I am in a different place and this gets me through” Dawn explained.
With the accolades that have come her way Dawn said that she is thankful to the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF), the people of Linden, her family and in-laws and Guyana for supporting her.
She intends to continue serving Guyana and her next big assignment will be the Commonwealth Games in England later this year.
