Barker plans to increase overall lifting poundage this year

Dawn Barker at the NAPF Championships in Miami, Florida last July where she performed her record setting squat of 237.5kg (522 pounds).

Newly-crowned Female Sports Personality of 2011, power lifter Dawn Barker says she is elated to win the award and it means a lot since she is from the mining town of Linden, but she wouldn’t be resting on her laurels.

“I am extremely overjoyed that I have accomplished this, especially as a Lindener, because many people say that Linden is depressed but me coming out of Linden and achieving this award shows that Linden has a lot to offer,”  Barker said in an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sport.

The Watooka Day Nursery School teacher,