Record breaking junior powerlifter Vijai Rahim employs a costly, strict diet and workout regimen that allows him to cop multiple gold medals and break international records while making the nation proud on the world stage. However, last year’s 59kgs Caribbean Power lifting Championships gold medallist and record holder, who smashed South America’s 66kgs squat record on Sunday, sees support as his heaviest burden.
Rahim who loves to squat and dead-lift more than four times his body weight faces an uphill task because of what he opines is the lack of respect and support for outstanding athletes locally.
“I would really like to have a support from anyone that is willing to sponsor me” disclosed the Marcy Dam, Rosignol resident during a telephone interview with Stabroek Sport yesterday.
“Right now finance is the biggest issue” Rahim added. “I had to move up in weight because my body is still growing and I need supplements to compete with the other lifters abroad, I really would love to have a powerlifting belt and some new gears to compete at my best potential”.
The father of a 25-day-old daughter continued “I have an international competition in July in Florida and I also would need money for expenses at those championships, powerlifting is an expensive sport that I love but I would just like to have some more respect and support for us athletes”.
Rahim is set to compete at the Caribbean/Pan Am/North American Power lifting Championships slated for July 1-7 in Orlando, Florida.
The 21-year old Berbician from the Hardcore Gym who weighed in at 60.5kgs on Sunday last, squatted 540 pounds (245kgs) dead-lifted 550 pounds (250kgs) and bench-pressed 275 pounds (125kgs) to record a total of 1365 pounds (620kgs) and 524 points on the wilks chart to claim the overall best lifter title of the junior championships.
The multiple gold medallists can be reached on telephone number 657-2673.
The previous squat record (529 pounds) that Rahim erased was set by Ecuador’s Alex Ocho last August at the South America Championships in Colombia.
