By Michelangelo Jacobus
Alexis Williams (Female Intermediate), Duarte Hetsberger (Male Intermediate) and Marlon Wilson (Male Masters Classic) strained, struggled and muscled their way to Best Lifters accolades on Sunday at the Saint Stanislaus Auditorium while nine records were also rewritten at the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting (GAPLF) 2024 Intermediates and Masters Championships.
Athletes and fans alike were awed with the power on show as competitors delivered a memorable day of action.
Williams, competing in the 57 kg Women’s Open Raw category set a new Squat record in that category en route to winning that class and the overall trophy. Williams squatted a record 110.5kg while she delivered a best Bench Press of 52.5kg and a Deadlift of 132.5kg all for a total of 295.5kg for the win.
Hetsberger on the other hand had tunnel vision in the 83kg Men’s Open Raw competition taking first place ahead of Irshaad Ali (2nd) and Justin Persaud (3rd). His performance saw him setting new Bench Press, Deadlift and Total records.
Hetsberger’s best Squat was 177.5kg, Bench Press 142.5kg (record), Deadlift 237.5kg (record) for a new record total of 557.5kg in that category.
Meanwhile, the Masters overall winner, Marlon Wilson took gold in the 93kg Men’s Master 1 Raw with a best Squat of 210.0kg, Bench Press of 120.0kg, Deadlift of 272.5kg for a grand total of 602.5kg.
Veteran powerlifter Norman Brady who competed in the 83kg Men’s Master 4 Raw set new records in that category (squat 75kg, deadlift 115kg, total 260kg). Matthew Maycock 83kg Men’s Master 1 Raw (squat 205kg), and Farouk Abdool 120+ Men’s Master 2 Equipped (squat 275kg) were the other record breakers on the day.
At the conclusion of the event, GAPLF President, Franklin Wilson extended congratulations to all the athletes and officials for making the competition a success. Wilson also expressed gratitude on behalf of the powerlifting community to Minister Susan Rodrigues as well as Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle, National Sports Commission Commissioner Cristy Campbelle and Guyana Olympic Association President Godfrey Munroe for coming out to support the athletes.
Meanwhile, Wilson also noted that the GAPLF would begin plans for its next competition from this week.
The full results follow:
Female Winners
1st 69kg Women’s Junior Raw – Mariah Bacchus, Squat 115.0kg, Bench Press 52.5kg, Deadlift 110.0kg, Total 277.5kg
1st 57kg Women’s Open Raw – Alexis Williams, Squat 110.5kg, Bench Press 52.5kg, Deadlift 132.5kg, Total 295.5kg
1st 69kg Women’s Open Raw – Ronessa McAdam, Squat 117.5kg, Bench Press 50.0kg, Deadlift 150.0kg, Total 317.5kg
2nd 69kg Women’s Open Raw – Mariah Bacchus, Squat 115.0kg, Bench Press 52.5kg, Deadlift 110.0kg, Total 277.5kg
1st 76kg Women’s Open Raw – Grace Jarvis, Squat 102.5kg, Bench Press 55.0kg, Deadlift 120.0kg, Total 277.5kg
1st 76kg Women’s Master 1 Raw – Grace Jarvis, Squat 102.5kg, Bench Press 55.0kg, Deadlift 120.0kg, Total 277.5kg
Male Winners
1st 83kg Men’s Junior Raw – Irshaad Ali, Squat 160.0kg, Bench Press 95.0kg, Deadlift 170.0kg, Total 425.0kg
2nd 83kg Men’s Junior Raw – Justin Persaud, Squat 140.0kg, Bench Press 92.5kg, Deadlift 162.5kg, Total 395.0kg
1st 93kg Men’s Junior Raw – Omali Vancooten, Squat 235.0kg, Bench Press 130.0kg, Deadlift 205.0kg, Total 570.0kg
2nd 93kg Men’s Junior Raw – Oslen Batson, Squat 205.0kg, Bench Press 125.0kg, Deadlift 215.0kg, Total 545.0kg
1st 74kg Men’s Open Raw – Trevor Callender, Squat 110.0kg, Bench Press 90.0kg, Deadlift 165.0kg, Total 365.0kg
1st 83kg Men’s Open Raw – Duarte Hetsberger, Squat 177.5kg, Bench Press 142.5kg, Deadlift 237.5kg, Total 557.5kg
2nd 83kg Men’s Open Raw – Irshaad Ali, Squat 160.0kg, Bench Press 95.0kg, Deadlift 170.0kg, Total 425.0kg
3rd 83kg Men’s Open Raw – Justin Persaud, Squat 140.0kg, Bench Press 92.5kg, Deadlift 162.5kg, Total 395.0kg
1st 93kg Men’s Open Raw – Omali Vancooten, Squat 235.0kg, Bench Press 130.0kg, Deadlift 205.0kg, Total 570.0kg
2nd 93kg Men’s Open Raw – Oslen Batson, Squat 205.0kg, Bench Press 125.0kg, Deadlift 215.0kg, Total 545.0kg
3rd 93kg Men’s Open Raw – Nigel Duguid, Squat 200.0kg, Bench Press 117.5kg, Deadlift 207.5kg, Total 525.0kg
1st 105kg Men’s Open Raw – Sereste King, Squat 185.0kg, Bench Press 125.0kg, Deadlift 227.5kg, Total 537.5kg
1st 83kg Men’s Master 1 Raw – Duarte Hetsberger, Squat 177.5kg, Bench Press 142.5kg, Deadlift 237.5kg, Total 557.5kg
2nd 83kg Men’s Master 1 Raw – Matthew Maycock, Squat 205.0kg, Bench Press 107.5kg, Deadlift 237.5kg, Total 550.0kg
1st 93kg Men’s Master 1 Raw – Marlon Wilson, Squat 210.0kg, Bench Press 120.0kg, Deadlift 272.5kg, Total 602.5kg
1st 66kg Men’s Master 2 EQ – Franklyn Brisport-Luke, Squat 125.0kg, Bench Press 75.0kg, Deadlift 150.0kg, Total 350.0kg
1st 120+kg Men’s Master 2 EQ – Farouk Abdool, Squat 275.0kg, Bench Press 182.5kg, Deadlift 272.5kg, Total 730.0kg
1st 74kg Men’s Master 2 Raw – Trevor Callender, Squat 110.0kg, Bench Press 90.0kg, Deadlift 165.0kg, Total 365.0kg
1st 83kg Men’s Master 4 Raw – Norman Brady, Squat 75.0kg, Bench Press 70.0kg, Deadlift 115.0kg, Total 260.0kg
