-star-studded line-up defending titles
The Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) will be bringing the curtains down on what can be described as an outstanding year for the sport both nationally and internationally with the hosting of its premier event, the Senior National Championships.
According to a press release from the federation, the event dubbed ‘Judgement Day’ will be staged at the St Stanislaus Forum on December 2 starting at 09:00hrs.
The championships will see a line-up of internationally recognized powerlifters as well as two world champions and record holders defending their status against an equally eager, confident and emerging crop of determined young guns.
The star-studded line-up billed to defend their national titles are:
BERBICE
GUMENDRA SHEWDAS – 53.0kg
2012 Caribbean U/18 Gold Medalist
VIJAI RAHIM – 59.0kg
2012 Caribbean U/23 Gold Medalist and record holder squat 192.5kg, dead lift 225.0kg and Total 507.5kg
2012 South American Under 23 Silver Medalist & Record Holder squat 215.0kg
Current Commonwealth Under 23 Dead lift record holder 227.5kgs
ANIS ADE THOMAS – 83.0kg
2012 Caribbean U/23 Gold Medalist and record holder squat 252.5kg, dead lift 292.5kg and total 665.0kg
2012 Caribbean Best lifter overall winner Under 23 Category
2012 North American Regional U/23 silver Medalist and open class Bronze Medalist
Current Commonwealth Under 23 Record holder dead lift 297.5kgs
FAROUK ABDOOL – 120.0kg
2010 Caribbean open 105.0kg Gold Medalist now is lifting in the 120.0kg class.
DEMERARA
WINSTON STOBY – 74.0kg
2012 Caribbean Gold Medalist open category
2012 Caribbean Gold Medalist Masters MII Category and record holder dead lift 265.5kg
2012 World Masters MII Overall champion and record holder in dead lift 272.5kg
Current Commonwealth Masters MI record holder dead lift 272.5kg
Current Commonwealth Masters MII Squat record holder 255.0kg, dead lift 272.5kg and Total 667.5kg
PAUL ADAMS – 74.0kg.
2012 Caribbean Silver Medalist
RANDOLPH MORGAN – 83.0kg / 93.0kg
2012 Caribbean Gold medalist and record holder Bench 220.0kg, dead lift 320.0kg and total 837.5kg as well as best lifter over open category
2012 South American record holder dead lift 330.0kgs
2012 World Open Gold medalist winner dead lift 330.0kgs
KAREL MARS – 105.0kg
2012 Caribbean Open Silver medalist and record holder squat 320.0kgs.
KIMBERLEY LONCKE – 84.0kg
2012 Caribbean Silver medalist
LINDEN
Colin Chesney – 120.0kg
Hailed by many as the heir apparent to Big John Edwards’ heavyweight throne, Chesney has been unfortunate to attract the international judges’ red flags two consecutive years in a row at the Caribbean level. Holder of a successful 800lbs squat locally, he is now under pressure to prove it was not a fluke as he attempts to produce a technically correct and convincing deep squat to satisfy the demanding eyes of the international community as well as Guyana’s National Judge Ed Caesar and two internationally certified IPF Category II Referees, Big John Edwards and Edwin Spencer.
Dawn Barker – 84+kg
Current Caribbean Gold Medalist and record holder squat 240.0kg/reigning Sportswoman of the year, Dawn Barker will not be in action due to ongoing recovery from an injury.
Vying for the bragging rights and top honours of Champion Gym will be Total Fitness Corriverton and Hard Core Gyms of Berbice, Fitrev, Total Fitness and Power House Gyms of East Coast and East Bank, Buddies, Zahiff, Kingsrow, GMRSC of Georgetown and Upper Demerara Barbell Gym of Linden, amongst others.
There will also be clashes featuring juniors, Anis Ade Thomas, current international (wilkes points 462.24) vs Vijai Rahim (wilkes points 494.11 ) as well as seniors World Masters 74.0kg total overall Champion Winston Stoby (wilkes points 485.52) versus World open individual dead lift champion Randolph Morgan (wilkes points 571.24) lifting in the heavier 93.0kg class which may see his wilkes points total dropping going all out to settle the burning question of the 2012 pound for pound top gun in the Under 23 and open categories.
Young guns to watch are the 17 year olds Kevin Brijlall, Sohail Hussain and Suraj Shewdas all of Berbice with the 2012 intermediate best lifter overall champion Thyron Eusibio of Georgetown heading the open category. Upsets are very much in the making judging from reports filtering from the various gyms.
There will be a Gym Team Championship apart from the individual events. This clash promises “no retreat no surrender” action as lifters vie to make the winners row as well as meet the qualifying standards for selection to the National team to participate in next year’s international events comprising the Annual Caribbean Championships (of which Guyana is the defending champion) as well as first time appearances in the Team events at the Pan American and Commonwealth Championships respectively.
A small admission fee of $500 will be charged to aid with the fund raising for the international participation of the team in 2013. Lifters are reminded to register with their gyms for nomination before December 1 as the scoring will be fully computerized. Late nominations will not be entertained.