Successful powerlifting team pays courtesy call on sports minister

By Emmerson Campbell

After a massive medal haul, setting a World record as well as meet records at the sixth annual two-day IPF/NAPF Caribbean Powerlifting Championships in St. Thomas, USVI which concluded over the weekend, most of the 12-member powerlifting team paid a courtesy call on Minister of Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony yesterday.

During the simple ceremony which was held in the conference room of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, congratulatory remarks were made by the minister and president of the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) Peter Green.

Dr. Anthony stated that the government and his ministry was very pleased with the outstanding performances of the powerlifters and said that the GAPF can look forward to continued support.

“With performances like this you can look forward to more support from us in the future,” Minister Anthony said.
He added: “When Peter (Green) approached me for support, he spoke of his team with much confidence. He even went through every profile of every member of the team and what they are capable of.

The successful powerlifting team poses for a photo opportunity with Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony seated in the centre yesterday.

“He then met the President (Donald Ramotar)  and did the same but we were already confident in what the team could do which was is why we decided to throw out support behind them,” Dr. Anthony stated.

In concluding, he congratulated the members of the team especially Masters’ lifter Winston Stoby who set a powerlifting World record.

A gold medal winner at the championships in the 74kg Men’s Masters M2 class, Stoby equalled the record for the squat 242.5kg, bench pressed 137.5kg, and broke the deadlift record 265.5kg which is a new World record.

Stoby is the first Guyanese and Caribbean lifter to hold any World record in any category to date.

Dawn Barker copped a gold medal in the 84 plus kg class after she broke her own Caribbean record set last year in the squat 240kgs (old 227.5kgs) and deadlift 195kgs (old 182.5kg). Her winning total was 550kgs (old 540kg) while three-time Caribbean men’s 83kg champion Randolph ‘The Accomplisher’ Morgan, made it four wins in a row after he recorded a new bench press record of 220kgs (old 215kg), dead lift 320kg (old 295kg) and total 835kg (old 807,5kg)

In the men’s Junior (Group B) 83kg gold medalist Anis Ade-Thomas broke his own 2010 records in the squat 252.5kg (old 242.5kg), deadlift 292.5kg (old 275kg) and total 665kg (old 630kg).

In the men’s junior category, 59kg gold. medalist Vijai Rahim set new Caribbean records in the squat 192.5kg (old 182.0) and deadlift 225kg (old 210kg).

The other gold medalist was Gumendra Shewdas (53kg Class) in the Men-Sub Junior class.

The two silver medals were won by Paul Adams (74kg Class) in the Men’s Open and Karel Mars (105kg Class) in the Men’s Green expressed gratitude to the lifters for making the powerlifting fraternity as well as Guyana proud and boasted of the fact that a full strength Guyana team would be untouchable, especially with the likes of Barker, Morgan and Stoby leading the way.

The GAPF boss revealed that the trip was not without its hiccups as there were financial strains and technical disqualification for individual athletes but nevertheless he is satisfied.

Green added that he is proud of Guyana’s performances and he is optimistic about the future of the sport which looks bright.