While the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) has short-listed 11 strongmen to participate in two upcoming international championships to be held in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico from August 3-7 the final composition of the team will depend on who are successful at acquiring United States of America visas.
According to a release from the GAPF,” the final team, manager and coach are to be named upon conclusion of visa interviews with the U.S. Embassy, as well as the selected Delegate to Congress and IT Specialist for a seminar on electronic scoring practices for international championship meets.”
The powerlifters have been selected for the 8th International Powerlifting Federation (IPF)/North American Powerlifting Federation (NAPF) North American Regional Powerlifting Championships and the inaugural Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games Powerlifting Championships.
Two-time Caribbean best lifter in the 82kg weight class Randolph Morgan along with defending regional champion ‘Big’ John Edwards, will spearhead the team.
Morgan will compete in the 125kg Men’s Open while Edwards is the defending champion in the Masters MM1 category.
Defending regional champion in the 75kg weight class Mervyn ‘Spongy’ Moses, however, will not be competing at the games owing to injury. Despite the absence of Moses, Guyana will still be looking to mount a serious challenge for team championship honours.
The full team has six lifters from Georgetown, four from Berbice and two from Essequibo.
All of the lifters have competed at the fourth annual IPF/NAPF Caribbean Islands Bench Press and Powerlifting Championships last March (18-20) at the Princess Hotel.
Meanwhile, Vijai Rahim will have his last chance to break the current existing World Sub-junior record for the dead lift of 221kgs. Rahim lifted 215kgs at the Junior National Championships before failing his attempt at 222.5kgs due to a technical fault.
Rahim had also failed this attempt at the fourth annual IPF/NAPF Caribbean Islands Bench Press and Powerlifting Championships.
In an email to Stabroek Sport, president of the GAPLF, peter Green, noted that he was optimistic that Rahim will set the new record and “become Guyana’s first world record holder for Powerlifting.”
The GAPF is also appealing to the corporate sector to come on board and assist in making Guyana’s presence at the games a reality. It was stated that the cost for one athlete to attend the championships is US $1500.
Squad: Men’s Open/Masters
Vijai Rahim – 56kgs (Caribbean Sub junior Champion) – Rosignol
Wazeem Immamdeen – 60kgs (Caribbean Champion) – Corriverton
Kester Lewis – 67.5kg (National Lifter)- Georgetown
Winston Stoby – 75kgs (Caribbean Masters Champion) – Georgetown
Randolph Morgan – 82.5kg (Caribbean / Regional / Pan American Champion)- Georgetown
Marvin Richards – 90kg (National Lifter)- Georgetown
Karel Mars – 100kg (Caribbean Silver medalist)- Georgetown
Richard Seymour – 110kg (Caribbean Silver medalist)- Essequibo
John Edwards – 125kg (Caribbean / Regional / Pan American Champion)- Georgetown
Men’s Juniors/Sub Juniors
Tariq Immamdeen – 60kg (Caribbean Silver medalist)- Corriverton
Anis Ade Thomas – 82.5kg (Caribbean Medalist – Corriverton
Kenneth Melville – 110kg (National Lifter)- Essequibo
