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Edwards and Rahim cop double at GAPLF Awards Ceremony
Seymour is most improved Snr. athlete
By Franklin Wilson
Guyana’s most decorated Power Lifter ‘Big’ John Edwards and its most promising Junior, Anis Ade Thomas were double awardees when the Guyana Amateur Power Lifting Federation held its Annual Awards Presentation on Sunday last at the Tropical View International Hotel, Campbellville.
Rahim was named the best Lifter for Sub Juniors and also received a Special Award for his Achievements while John was named the Best Senior Male as well as the top Male Master for the M1 to M3 Classes. Anis Ade Thomas was voted the Best Junior Male athlete.
GAPLF President Peter Green (left) presents the awards to John Edwards, Vijay Rahim, and Mark Seymour.
In winning the Male Seniors award, John Edwards beat out fellow National and Caribbean champions Mervin ‘Spongy’ Moses and Randolph Morgan. He {John} got the nod for the Masters accolade ahead of fellow Masters Winston Stoby (M1) and Errol Henry (M2).
The Most Improved senior Lifter award went to Mark Seymour who won ahead of Theodore Henry and Kester Lewis while the junior category was won by Wazeem Immamdeen ahead of Anis Ade Thomas and Rahim.
Gaining the nod for the Most Improved Master Lifter competing in the 50-60 age-group was Errol Henry while the Best Coach Award was taken by Egbert Jackson of Berbice ahead of Farouk Abdool and Wendell McPherson.
Receiving Special Awards for their respective achievements were Rahim, Moses, and Edwards. Corporate Giant Banks DIH will receive a Special Plaque shortly for their continuous support to the Sport over the years. The GAPLF’s three major championships (Novice, Intermediate & Senior) were all sponsored by Banks DIH in 2009.
Following are more details on the awardees.
Best Lifter
– Male Sub Juniors: Vijai Rahim
· First Sub junior ever to hold titles in sub junior, junior and men’s open at the 52 kg.
· As well as the 56 kg weight class with similar results in a calendar year.
· National Records in 52kg class Dead lift of 188kgs
· 56kg class Squat of 183kgs for same categories.
Best Lifter
– Male Juniors: Anis Ade Thomas
· Being the current reigning Junior Champion in his class 82.5kg /181lb.
· Becoming the first Junior ever to lift over 600 lbs/272kgs with a Dead lift of 273kgs.
Best Lifter
John Edwards· Being the current reigning champion at the National, Caribbean, Regional and Pan American levels in the 125kg /275lb weight class.
– Male Seniors:
· Establishing International records in all three individual Lifts – at the Caribbean level (Bench – 227kgs) and at the Regional level (squat 342.0kg and Total 855kg).
· Having a present IPF World Ranking of 29th place out of 82 in the 125kg /275lb weight class.
Best Lifter
John Edwards· Being the reigning champion at the National, Caribbean, Regional and Pan American Levels.
– Male Masters (M1 – M3 Classes):
· As well as establishing International records in all three individual Lifts i.e. at the Caribbean level (Bench – 227kgs) and at the Regional level (squat 342.0kg /Total 855kg).
· Having a current IPF World ranking of 5th out of 15 lifters in the Masters M1 Category.
Most Improved Lifter
Mark Seymour· Won his class at the Novices, Intermediate and Seniors Championships with consistent and increasing power displays.
– Male:
(Kester Lewis was the favorite and leading contender having established a new squat record at the Intermediate level but was a no show at the Senior Championships)
Most Improved Lifter
Wazeem Immamdeen· Won his class 60kg/132lb two years running at both the Junior and Open levels increasing his totals by 15kgs.
– Male Junior:
Most Improved Lifter
Errol Henry· Consistent display of power lifting at his age.
– Masters (Masters M2 50-60 Age Class):
Coach of the year
Egbert Jackson – Total Fitness Gym (Corriverton, Berbice)
:
· Producing two national junior and men’s open champions.
· Producing the first junior to dead lift over 600 lbs.
Special awards for Achievements
Vijai Rahim
– First School boy lifter and reigning champion to currently hold the National Title at the Sub Junior Level, Junior Level & Men’s Open Level at the same time in a calendar year.
Holder of the Individual Dead lift record in the 52.0kg class at all levels.
Holder of the Individual Squat record in the 56.0kg class at all levels.
Mervyn Moses
– 75kg /165lb class
Highest World rated Guyanese in the IPF overall best lifters category according o the Wilkes format with an overall ranking of 119
th in the world for the men’s open from a total of 979 Internationally ranked lifters) Holder of the Regional Squat record 297kgs and Total 750kgs.
15 out of 82 lifters in weight class 75kg rankings and 119th in world overall for all weight classes.
Randolph Morgan
– 82.5kg /181lb class
First Guyanese lifter to capture an overall men’s Best Lifter award at an international Championship.
Current National, Caribbean, Regional and Pan American Champion for the 82.5kg class.
Currently ranked 24
out of 138 lifters in his weight class (82.5kg) and 134 out of 979 lifters overall.
John Edwards
– 125kg /275lb class
First Guyanese to hold three individual records in the Master’s class:
IPF/NAPF Caribbean Islands Power lifting Championships – Bench Press of 227kgs in the Masters M1 125kg weight Class
IPF/NAPF Regional Power lifting Championships – Squat of 342.0kgs and Total of 855kgs in the Masters M1 125kg weight class
Currently ranked at 29 out of 82 lifters in the World in his weight class and 266 overall from 979 lifters in the Men’s Open category.
Currently ranked 5out of 15 lifters in the world in his weight class at the Masters M1 Category and 266
overall out of 979 lifters.
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