By Emmerson Campbell
Seventy-four kilogramme, Masters Two World dead lift record holder Winston ‘Little Master ‘Stoby was predicted to break his own record but it was Vijai Rahim, Anis Ade Thomas and Karel Mars who broke theirs.
Yesterday, when the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) staged its Senior National Championships at St Stanislaus College, Rahim, the 2012 59kg Caribbean Powerlifting Championships gold medallist and record holder in the squat (192.5kg) and dead lift (225.0kg), smashed both records and walked away with the 59kg and the overall title of the championships.
The 20-year old Berbician from the Hardcore Gym squatted 227.5kgs and dead-lifted 232.5kgs to rewrite the record books. He also bench-pressed 105kgs to record a total of 567.5kgs. Rahim whose wilkes points total was 498 enabled him to take the overall trophy ahead of Mars (496 wilkes points) and Stoby (479 wilkes points).
Mars, who won yesterday’s men’s 105kgs category, bettered his old Caribbean squat record (320kgs) by squatting 327.5kgs. Mars also bench- pressed 200kgs and dead-lifted 282.5kgs for a total of (810kgs).
Stoby who won his category (660kgs total) ahead of Paul Adams (597kgs total) and Ryan Williams (572.5kgs total) had predicted he would break his Master Two world record of 272.5kgs and almost did on his second attempt but the judges deemed the lift ‘no good’.
Stoby’s best lifts yesterday were 267.5kgs in the dead lift, 250kgs in the squat and 142.5kgs in the bench press.
Meanwhile, 2012 Caribbean Championships under-23 gold medallist and record holder for the squat (252.5kg) and the dead lift (292.5kg) in the 83kgs category, Thomas, won his category with a total of (667.5kgs). He broke the squat (255kgs), bench-pressed 122kgs and dead-lifted 290kgs for a total of 667.5kgs.
With the absence of this year’s Caribbean Championships gold medallist and squat record holder and reigning Sportswoman of the year, Dawn Barker through injury, Kimberly Mars Loncke was the lone female competitor and lifted the 84kgs and women’s overall titles by squatting 147.5kgs, bench- pressing 62.5kgs and dead-lifting 150kgs.
2012’s Caribbean Championships gold medallist and record holder in the bench press (220.0kg) and dead lift (320.0kg), Randolph Morgan was also unable to compete because of a wrist injury he sustained while preparing for the championships.
Other winners were Gumendra Shewdas in the 53kgs division, who lifted a total of 452kgs, Kelvin Lewis in the 66kgs division (525kgs total), Nigel Phillips in the 93kgs division (635kgs total) and Farouk Abdool in the 120kgs division (760kgs total).
The event, which was mainly sponsored by Fitness Express, and dubbed ‘Judgement Day’, was deemed a success and will be followed by the Novices and Intermediate Championships in March.
