By Emmerson Campbell
Bronze medalist at the 2011 World Masters Championships, John ‘Big John’ Edwards, and 74kg Masters Category Two deadlift record holder, Winston Stoby, will headline the 2012 Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) Intermediate and Masters Championships slated for Sunday.
New records, epic battles, explosive lifts and notable upsets are expected at the St Stanislaus College forum when the GAPF stages its second event of the year following a successful Novices Championships in February.
Edwards, who placed third in Canada last September at the World Masters Championships, will be looking to turn in an impressive performance ahead of the World Masters Championships which will be held in Killen, Texas, USA, in October. Stoby who deadlifted 265.5kgs/585.4 pounds at the 2012 Caribbean Championships in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands, in April will also be looking to improve his poundage before he journeys to Texas as well.
Stoby, 53, is the first Guyanese and Caribbean lifter to hold a world record in any category to date in the sport of powerlifting.
Besides winning two gold medals at the championships and breaking the world record for the deadlift, Stoby equaled the record for the squat 242.5kgs and bench-pressed 137.5kgs.
And former local heavyweight powerlifter and bodybuilder Mark ‘Uno’ Perry is also touted to throw his awesome power into the mix.
Veteran lifters Errol “Powder for Power” Henry and Edwin “Never say die” Spencer will be battling in the 93kg 50+ class.
Many open category (under 40 years) lifters are yet to achieve the totals set by these two warriors.
Meanwhile following their debut at the Novices Championships in February, the 2012 crop of newcomers will continue their epic battles at the intermediate level.
In the intermediate competition sub-junior category (under 18 years) fast improving Berbician Reeaz Latiff (83kg) of hardcore gym who placed second to Sohail Hussain (53kg) of Flex Gym, will be attempting to reverse his luck. Tevin Spencer of Kings Row gym will also be in the reckoning.
74kg champion and best lifter overall at the Novices Championships, Rudolph Blackmon of Fitness Revolution Gym will defend his podium placing from the much tougher and improved challenges of Flex Gym’s Darius Hinds, (74kg first runner-up) and Berbician Dalichand Ramdeo of Hard Core Gym(3rd place) for overall honors. Not to be left out will be the fast improving Thyron Eusibio of Zahiff’s Gym. The Men’s Open 93kg class will feature Georgetown- based Denroy Livan coming up against the likes of Zahiff gym mate Christopher Richards and Heathcliff Peters.
Weigh-in time is 8:00hrs and the lifting will commence at 10:00hrs. During a break in the proceedings, presentations of the Commonwealth Awards will be made to newly crowned, junior national and Commonwealth deadlift record holders Anis Ade Thomas (83kg class) and Vijai Rahim (59kg class).
Stoby, the Masters M1 & M2 Commonwealth/World deadlift record holder will also receive his accolade.
