By Emmerson Campbell
Vijay Rahim, Anis Ade-Thomas and brothers Gumendra and Suraj Shewdas turned in impressive performances Sunday at the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) Juniors/Sub-Juniors and Novices Powerlifting Championships in preparation for the Caribbean Championships next month in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
The championships, held at the Blairmont Primary School, showcased the crème de la crème of Guyana’s young and first-time powerlifters.
The four Berbicians did not disappoint their supporters and simply stole the show.
Competing in the 53kgs sub-junior category (18 years and under) Gumendra, 17, who trains at the Total Fitness Gym (TF) won by lifting a total of 410kgs. He had a best squat of 165kgs, bench pressed 75kgs and dead lifted 170kgs.
Suraj, who competed in the 59kgs sub-junior category, was not to be outdone by his younger brother. The 18- year-old Shewdas, who also trains at the Total Fitness Gym, squatted 180kgs, bench pressed 85kgs and deadlifted 190kgs for a total of 455kgs.
Rahim, who trains at the Hardcore Gym (HG), competed in the 66kgs weight class in the junior division (18 to 23 years) and he had best lifts of 215kgs, 100kgs and 227.5kgs in the squat, bench press and deadlift respectively. His total was 542.5kgs.
In the junior 83 kgs category, Ade-Thomas, who also trains at the Total Fitness Gym, had a total lift of 667.5kgs. Ade-Thomas, 22, squatted 265kgs, bench pressed 122.5kgs and deadlifted 290kgs.
Sub-junior novices Sohail Hussain (53kgs), Tevin Spencer (66kgs) and Reeaz Latif (83kgs) all took home first place trophies in their respective categories. Hussain’s total lift was 337.5kgs; Spencer’s total lift was 385kgs while Latif’s total lift was 490kgs.
Up and coming 15-year-old sub-junior Kevin Bridgelall (59kgs) had a total lift of 412kgs.
Rudolph Blackman was the best lifter overall in the 74kgs division with a total of 560kgs. Darius Hinds and Dalichand Ramdeo who both recorded totals of 517.5kgs were joint second.
In the junior 74 kgs category, Christopher Sankar lifted the first place trophy after he squatted 210kgs, bench pressed 110kgs and deadlifted 215kgs.
Zahiff Gym’s Denroy Livan won the Novice men’s overall trophy in the 93kgs division after squatting 210kgs, bench pressing 100kgs and deadlifting 217.5kgs. Livan’s weight total amounted to 527.5kgs, and he was followed by gymmate Christopher Richards (525kgs) and Heatcliff Peters (480kgs).
Eighteen-year-old Fabian Ketwaroo (66kgs weight class) also placed first, lifting a total weight of 472 kgs. He squatted 170kgs, bench pressed 90kgs and deadlifted 202kgs.
GMR& SC’s Jamie McDonald was the men’s 66kgs overall Novice champion after he squatted 175kgs, bench pressed 102.5kgs and deadlifted 190kgs.
Rahim, Ade-Thomas and the Shewdas brothers Gumendra and Suraj are part of a 12-member team that is scheduled to represent Guyana at the 6th annual 4-day IPF/NAPF Caribbean Islands Powerlifting Championships in St Thomas, USVI from March 28.
