Rahim eyes ‘dead lift’ World record on Sunday

Oct 29, 2010 Sports

---

By Sean Devers

The annual Guyana Amateur Power Lifting Federation’s (GAPLF) Banks Power Stout National Power-lifting Championships is scheduled for the Critchlow Labour College (CLC) from 10:00hrs on Sunday and Berbician Vijay Rahim is eying the ‘dead lift’ World record.
At the launching of this year’s event at Banks DIH Thirst Park yesterday, President of the GAPLF Peter Green said that this year the championships, which has been sponsored by Banks DIH for over a decade now, promises to provide pulsating competition since the country’s top Power lifters are expected to be on show.
Tickets cost $500 and are on sale at Cell Zone in Stabroek Market and Basic Beauty on North Road and the official weight-in, registration and certification of gear will be done on Sunday between 08:00hrs-10:00hrs and registration fee is $1,500. Participants gear must be International Power lifting Federation (IPF) approved.
Green, who has been at the helm of the GAPLA since 2008, disclosed that the sponsorship by Banks plays a critical role in the development of local Power-lifting since the Beverage Company has always been committed to the various competitions staged by the GAPLA.
“The GAPLA is improving leaps and bounds with the help of Banks DIH and I encourage all to support local. We have produced very good lifters in the last few years and I don’t know if it is the blend of the Power Stout brew…..but it must be,” Green remarked.
The GAPLF Head said that the winners at Sunday’s Championships will qualify for the shortlist of names from which the Guyana team for the next March’s 17-19 Northern American Power-lifting Federation (NAPF) competition in the Cayman Islands, will be picked and encouraged the public to turn up at the Critchlow Labour College on Sunday.
Green said that Guyana’s Power-lifting has been making this country proud recently and reported that the 10-man National team won the Bench press team title after team member Randolph Morgan retained the champion lifter title after setting a new National, Regional and Caribbean record in the Bench Press on the first day of the fourth IPF/NAPF Caribbean Islands Bench Press and Power lifting Championships at the Princess Hotel in March this year.
Green said that the Guyanese struck Gold in the NAPF Central American and Caribbean Games Power lifting Championships in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico last August although some key lifters could not acquire United States Visas.
At 165 Guyana’s 51-year-old ‘Master’s number one’ Winston Stoby took gold easily with a 1444 total and a big 606 ‘dead lift’ competing in the Men’s division which included athletes who were aged 23.
Green said this was indeed a good year for Guyana’s Power lifters who claimed three medals at the CAC championships with Randolph Morgan claiming the best lifter accolade. Essequibian Junior Kenneth Melville, lifting in the Men’s open 110kg class, gained bronze behind Harold Milan of Puerto Rico (gold) and Marcos Porras of Mexico (silver). Despite fielding just four lifters Guyana was able gain 5th place out of nine countries with full strength teams of 8 – 10 lifters.
“Next year we want to see Guyana produce a World Champion and with continued sponsorship from Banks and plenty of hard work we can do it. People now understand what is Power lifting and we have several TV shows and other ways of educating the public about the sport which is not only about strength but health,” Green said
The GAPLF’s PRO 50-year-old Gordon Spencer will also be on show this Sunday while 2008 National Open Champion Farouk Abdool and 18-year-old Vijay Rahim are also expected to produce sizzling performances.
Green said that Rahim, one of the lifters who failed to get a Visa for the Porto Rico event, will participate in his last tournament as a Junior on Sunday since he is moving up to the Junior Class (19-23) next year adding that the athlete from the Hard Core Gym in Berbice who broke both the North American and Commonwealth records is now eying the 221kg World
record for the ‘dead lift’ at Sunday’s event.
The second man to compete as a professional bodybuilder for Guyana, Sylvan Gardner has just returned to these shores following competition at two international shows, in Miami and the Cayman Islands.
All eyes will be on him on Sunday as he makes his Power-lifting debut competing against Stoby.
Banks DIH’s Sales and Marketing Executive Carlton Joao said from a corporate perspective he is ever excited with what’s been happening with local Power lifting as Guyana’s lifters have performed very well on the International stage.
“Their (lifters) dedication and commitment have been very good and it’s a proud feeling when you see the guys go out and represent Guyana and do so well. We as a Company are committed to playing our part in bringing success to Guyana through sports and we are happy to continue our sponsorship of the Banks Power Stout Senior National Power lifting C/Ships,” Joao declared.

---

---