Many readers probably would have heard of motor racing champions Mark Vieira and Andrew King but not of Winston Stoby who broke the 74kg Master’s M2 deadlift record (265.5kg) at the sixth annual Caribbean Powerlifting Championships in St. Thomas, USVI which concluded over the weekend.
The reason is simple – the sport of powerlifting locally is not well known.
However, according to president of the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) Peter Green, that is about to change.
Green and the top brass of the GAPF plan to make powerlifting popular by creating awareness of the sport throughout the length and breadth of Guyana.
After a massive medal haul, setting a World record as well as meet records at the championships in St. Thomas, the powerlifting federation feels the time is ripe for the sport to ‘weigh in’ in the public’s eye.
“We are currently hoping to do a magazine rather than going around asking people for money,” said Green yesterday during an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sport.
He added: “The magazine will help us because people will know about powerlifting, they will know what powerlifting is about, who is in powerlifting and so forth and at the same time generate revenue for us to take athletes overseas.”
Green also mentioned that the GAPF is looking to hold raw championships later in the year.
Strong man championship
“The federation is looking to hold a strong man championship later in the year. We don’t know yet because that depends on sponsors – the competition will be raw, that means no bodysuits, just you, the belt and the weights,” said Green.
He also mentioned that there will possibly be a bench press competition later in the year as well.
Green highlighted that powerlifting is a World Games sport but will be an Olympic sport at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. The GAPF boss is excited about this sport being an Olympic event in four years as that too will create more awareness of the sport locally and worldwide.
At the Caribbean Championships, Guyana won eight gold and two silver medals along with the seven-nation Men’s championship that the lifters regained from Trinidad and Tobago.
Along with Stoby, Dawn Barker won a gold medal in the 84-plus kg class after she broke her own Caribbean record set last year in the squat 240kgs (old 227.5kgs) and deadlift 195kgs (old 182.5kg). Her winning total was 550kgs (old 540kg)
Three-time Caribbean men’s 83kg champion Randolph ‘The Accomplisher’ Morgan made it four in a row after he recorded a new bench press record of 220kgs (old 215kg), deadlift 320kg (old 295kg) and a total of 835kg (old 807.5kg).
In the men’s Juniors (Group A) 59kg gold medalist Vijai Rahim set new Caribbean records in the squat 192.5kg (old 182.0), deadlift 225kg (old 210kg) and a total of 507.5kg (old 490kg)
In the men’s Juniors (Group B) 83kg gold medalist Anis Thomas broke his own 2010 records in the squat 252.5kg (old 242.5kg), deadlift 292.5kg (old 275kg) with a total of 665kg (old 630kg).
Gumendra Shewdas placed first in his 53kg sub junior category, Paul Adams placed second in the 74kg Open Male category to Stoby while Kimberly Mars-Loncke took the silver in the women’s open under 84kg.
