Powerlifting prodigy, Romeo Hunter will return home from the IPF World Classic and Equipped Sub-Junior and Junior Powerlifting Championships in Romania with a gold for the squat but was out of consideration for an overall podium finish after failing to register a total yesterday.
Battling youths from 16 other nations in the 83kg class, Hunter, 16, the holder of 18 National records in the Open and Under-18 (Sub-Junior) Divisions proved that he was a world-class athlete by out-squatting his rivals.
His 265.0kg (584lbs) squat proved to be unchartered territory for his rivals and he duly earned the gold medal on the world stage, on debut, a huge achievement for himself and Guyana. Italy’s Di Fabrizio Di Felice took the silver with 257.5kg while the bronze went to Thomas Scanlon (252.5kg) of New Zealand.