Powerlifters from Total Fitness and Interline Fitness Gyms displayed their prowess Sunday to lift the marquee titles at this year’s juniors and novices championships at the Banks DIH Sport Bar, Thirst Park.
Interline’s Cavis Rodney, with a total of 365kg, stole the show in winning the female best lifter novices trophy while Total Fitness’ Thristan Kamal won the male category.
Lifting in the 84+kg category, Rodney had a best squat of 140kg, a 77.5kg bench press and a 150kg deadlift for a wilks total of 294.845 points.
Kamal, the 66 kg lifter, showed plenty of promise with a total of 447.5kg.
The 20 year-old squatted 172.5kg, bench-pressed 87.5kg and deadlifted 187.5kg. His wilks total of 352.362 was the highest amongst all male novices that competed.
For the second year running, Kevin Brijlall (Equipped) of the Hardcore Gym was the best junior lifter after racking up a total of 460.322 wilks points. The 59kg lifter squatted 202.5kg, bench-pressed 115kg and deadlifted 255kgs, 45 more that he deadlifted last year.
Romario Gonsalves (overall junior unequipped) and Marley Vyphuis (overall novice male unequipped) were the winners in their respective categories.
While the juniors and novices took centre stage, national senior lifter, Andrea Smith, a guest lifter, grabbed much of the spotlight. The 63kg unofficially set a new Caribbean deadlift record (170kg) and new national squat record, 130kg. Smith participated at the event in an effort to gain qualification for overseas fixtures.
Powerlifting consists of three events – the squat, dead lift and bench press – during which competitors lift successively heavier weights in three attempts. Their best lift from each of the three events is tallied for an overall total.
In excess of 30 athletes competed at the event which started at 09:00hrs.
Fitness Express, Guinness, Buddy’s Gym and the Trophy Stall were the sponsors of the event.
