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John Edwards named GAPLF most outstanding athlete
Morgan & Rahim are most improved senior and junior athletes
Randolph Morgan in action
By Franklin Wilson
National Heavyweight Power Lifting king ‘Big’ John Edwards was voted the most outstanding athlete for 2008 by the Guyana Amateur Power Lifting Federation (GAPLF) and was duly honoured at their Annual General Meeting held on Sunday last at Tower International Hotel.
Randolph Morgan, who captured the overall best lifter trophy at last year’s Guinness ‘Reach for Greatness’ senior championships was named the most improved lifter, while 16 year-old Berbice sensation Vijay Rahim was the most improved junior.
A special award was presented to Mervin ‘Spongy’ Moses for his outstanding performances at the Caribbean Championships where Guyana made a grand return after 12 years.
Moses won two silver and 2 bronze medals while placing as the third best in the overall contest.
Timothy Austin well known in Power Lifting circles as ‘Dog’ was recognised for his outstanding service to the sport for many years with a Long Service Award.
Edwards, the other athlete to represent Guyana at the Caribbean Championships, captured four gold medals.
At the seniors, competing in the men’s open 125kg / 275 lbs class, he set three new records.
He achieved a squat of 749.25 lbs; bench pressed 501.5 lbs and had a dead lift of 666.75 lbs for a total of 1,917.5 lbs.
Vijay Rahim during competition last year
The new squat record erased his old mark of 743.75 achieved in 2005. The new dead lift mark replaces his 2006 mark of 655.75 while the new overall total eclipsed the 1,890 he set in 2005.
Randolph Morgan (82kg / 181lb class) in claiming the overall champion trophy totaled 1,647.75lbs (squat 622.75lbs, bench press 402.5 and dead lift 622.75lbs).
Rahim had excelled at the junior and intermediate championships duly earning his card to the seniors and did not disappoint. Competing in the juniors/men open 52kg (114lb) category, he shattered the dead lift record of 369.25lbs with a new standard of 413.75lbs. The old mark was set by R. Rambally in September 1998.
Rahim also had a squat of 330.5lbs and bench pressed 148.75 for a total of 892.5lbs to win his category.
President, Peter Green congratulated the honourees for their performances during the last year.
He promised the AGM that the Federation will re-introduce the annual awards ceremony where athletes, officials and administrators will be honoured for contributions to the development of the sport.
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