Winston Stoby and John ‘Big John’ Edwards, two of Guyana’s recurring podium finishers at Masters Powerlifting Championships the world over will have a chance to once again make Guyana proud at the World Masters Powerlifting Championships in October in Killen, Texas.
Their participation at the five-day event which commences on October 1 hinges, however, on the support of corporate Guyana and major stakeholders.
According to the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) attendance by Edwards and Stoby at the championships would provide Guyana with an opportunity to deliver its first-ever World Powerlifting title.
According to reports by the International Powerlifting Federation, Stoby, the 74kg Masters Two, is the world number one ranked contender this year in his weight class while Edwards who lifted a bronze medal at the championships last year in the 120kg Masters One category is seeded number two.
Edwards who recently lifted a gold medal at the South American Championships in Cali, Colombia has won gold at the Caribbean Championships (four times), the Pan American Championships, the North American Regional Championships and will be determined to add that elusive gold at the World Masters Championships in October.
Stoby who unofficially broke his own world deadlift record at the recently-concluded local Claude Charles Masters Championships is also bent on lifting a gold medal in October because he missed last year’s event because of visa issues. However, he has already secured his visa and is brimming with confidence because last year’s gold medallist’s total was nowhere near Stoby’s total.
In an invited comment President of the GAPF, Peter Green who has transformed the sport since he took office five years ago stated that corporate Guyana should get on board and support the lifters in their quest to put Guyana on the map on the world stage of powerlifting.
“We once again appeal to the corporate and private sector to rally behind the powerlifters and this successful and gold medal producing Federation as
it keeps the Golden Arrow fluttering proudly on the world stage,” Green said.
