The North American Regional Powerlifting Championships (NARPC) got underway yesterday in the Grand Cayman Islands with Guyana being represented by a lone lifter and one official.
According to a release from the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF), a two-man team of Anis Ade Thomas and Vijai Rahim was selected on the basis of their outstanding exploits at the Caribbean Championships earlier in March.
However only reigning Under-23 Caribbean 83kg class Gold Medalist and Junior best lifter overall winner as well as Commonwealth Junior 83kg record holder (dead lift 292.5kg) Thomas, who hails from Berbice, flew out this morning.
Fellow Berbician Caribbean double Gold Medalist and Commonwealth Junior 59kg record holder (dead lift 225kgs) Rahim was withdrawn due to his unavailability at the time of the deadline when final nominations closed.
Thomas will join GAPF Vice-President Gordon Spencer who flew out Monday as the federation’s representative at a WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) sponsored symposium that commenced Tuesday. The recently successful referee candidate who passed his IPF Category II Level exams in March, is also scheduled to make his debut at the championships as Guyana’s first locally-based International Powerlifting Referee.
Both Thomas and Spencer are attending this championship fully sponsored by the GAPF.
A look at the final starting list in the men’s lineup for the 59kg U/23 category has Ricky Hu of Guatemala as the front runner with a total of 365kgs. (Rahim’s total in the Caribbean Championships was 507kgs). In the 83kg U/23 category, Thomas is listed as the No. 2 favorite behind the reigning NAPF Champion Conway Brookes of the USA. An epic battle is anticipated here. Tune in to the championships which is being aired live on the link http://www.ustrea.tvchannel/napfregionals2012 or live scoring link http://napf.no-ip.org.
Despite missing the historic opportunity of adding the prestigious title of North American Regional Champion in the U/23 59kg weight class to his Caribbean U/23 and open titles, Rahim is set to make his debut at the much tougher (albeit costlier) South American Championships alongside the legendary John Edwards who will also be sitting his IPF Referee Category II exams apart from lifting.
In keeping with the mandate by the IPF Guyana has been placed in the South American bloc and will therefore be making her maiden appearance this year with the GAPF president slated to address the congress which will be graced with the presence of the top ranking fficials of the IPF as they streamline preparations for powerlifting’s presence at the 2013 World Games billed for Cali, Colombia.
With Rahim’s inclusion in the two-man representative team to Colombia, the federation has now been saddled with significant (albeit attainable) accommodation and meals costs placing an added burden to its almost depleted finances. Nevertheless, with just three weeks to go the federation is quietly confident that the Berbice well wishers will throw their full weight behind Rahim in assisting the well deserving young man to achieve his potential at the international level. Monetary donations should be made to the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation on behalf of the lifters.
The GAPF once again reasserts its proven track record of proudly nominating and delivering top two podium finishers at its international championships to date, finances permitting.
