By Emmerson Campbell
Masters Two World deadlift record-holder Winston Stoby feels that he can smash more records at the upcoming Masters World Championships.
Stoby,53, will attend the World Masters Championships along with 2011 World Masters bronze medalist John ‘Big John’ Edwards in Texas, USA in October.
In a recent interview with Stabroek Sport, Stoby expressed confidence of setting more records for Guyana.
“Once I can get the support and I am comfortable and my mind is settled I will execute and get those records,” he promised.
Last Sunday, Stoby set a new deadlift record (267kgs/589 pounds) at the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) Intermediate and Masters Championships, breaking his old one of 265.5kgs/585.4 pounds which was set at the 2012 Caribbean Championships in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands in April.
Stoby told Stabroek Sport that he has ambitions of further re- writing the record books. “My goal at the championships is to set the bar so high that no one would interfere with the records in my lifetime. I want to deadlift around 630 pounds; squat like 610 pounds and to do a personal best bench press like 330 pounds,” the world record-holder declared.
The bench press and the squat records stand at 429 and 605 pounds respectively.
Stoby, who trains at the Kingsrow Barbell Club, is the first Guyanese and Caribbean lifter to hold a World record in any category to date in the sport of powerlifting.
According to Stoby he is currently training to achieve his goals.
“Right now I am in gym conditioning and preparing the body to break these records. I’m in the racks shocking the muscles, doing half squats with heavy weights, getting familiar with how the weights will feel so when it is time to lift them the muscles will be able to hold up,” he explained.
‘The Little Master’ disclosed that ever since he started competing, he has won gold medals and best lifter awards.
“Since I took up powerlifting as a sport I’ve always been a winner, winning gold and best lifter awards. The only guys who beat me locally were Horace Steele and Mervin ‘Spongy’ Moses. My first international was in `93 in Washington, DC, then `96 in Canada at the Pan Am Games, all gold medals and best lifter awards,” said Stoby
However, despite his relative success, the World-record holder, who is a goldsmith by trade, bemoans the lack of sponsorship and support.
“I am not a guy who takes a lot of supplements, I was never the type to take all those supplements and at my age now it would be risky but I would like to have a sponsor and that is one of the things I am looking for, but once God keeps me healthy and once I can get the support and I am comfortable and my mind is settled I will execute and get those records,” Stoby assured.
