Peter Green returned as GAPF President for another term

Feb 07, 2011 Sports

By Franklin Wilson
The membership of the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) has maintained a high degree of confidence in their President Peter Green whom they returned un-opposed in that post for another term when their Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held yesterday at the Critchlow Labour College, Woolford Avenue.

Heading Powerlifting for the next year, President Peter Green (2nd left) is flanked by (from left) Secretary Gordon Spencer, Treasurer Monty Livan, Committee Member Andrew Austin, Vice President John Edwards, Committee Members Sherry George, Bruce Whatley and PRO/Organising Secretary Denroy Livan.

Green, who was recently elected as the National Sports Commission Male Sports Personality for 2010 with the GAPF also being voted the Best Association, has been at the helm of the Federation for the past four years during which time Guyana’s athletes have been excelling at the Caribbean, Regional and International levels and are now rated in the World. This is his third term after taking over in 2008.
Also being returned following yesterday’s AGM were Vice President ‘Big’ John Edwards and Treasurer Monty Livan. Gordon Spencer is back as Secretary after serving as a committee member in the previous executive; he replaces Ed Caesar. There is also a new Public Relations Officer/Organising Secretary in Denroy Livan who replaces Mark Seymour.
The three Committee Members are Sherry George, the lone female on the executive; Bruce Whatley and Andrew Austin. Athletes from Berbice, Linden and Georgetown attended yesterday’s AGM.
First on the agenda of the new executive will be the annual Novice and Junior championships which will be held on February 20 in the Ancient County of Berbice as the federation seek to decentralize the sport.
A number of new faces are expected to make their first appearance at the novices in the sub junior (18 years & under), Junior (19 – 23 years) and Open (over 23) categories.
The head to head collision of Guyana’s two leading juniors; Anis Ade Thomas of Berbice (2010 Caribbean junior silver medalist) and Kenneth Melville (North American Regional junior silver medalist) who hails from the Cinderella County of Essequibo is expected to be the highlight of what is anticipated to be an exhilarating day of competition.
Apart from bragging rights as the best junior athlete in the Land of Many Waters, these two powerlifters will also be vying for the lone spot on the National team to the upcoming 5th Annual Caribbean Powerlifting Championships slated for the Cayman Islands in March.
In what is being billed as the ‘CLASH of the TITANS’, Caribbean gold medalist ‘Big’ John Edwards and National heavyweight champion Colin ‘Mr. Clean’ Chesney of Linden will be aiming to become the first Guyanese to ever squat 800lbs or 362.81kgs. Both heavyweight athletes are also preparing for the Caribbean Championships.
Edwards is the current holder of the national squat record (771.75lbs/350.0kgs) while Chesney’s best official attempt which was achieved at last year’s seniors is 744.18lbs/337.5kgs.
The GAPF is once again reminding athletes of the new Weight Categories that have been fixed by the International Powerlifting Federation which came into effect on January 1st, 2011.
Women – 43kgs (Sub junior and junior), 52kgs, 57kgs, 63kgs, 72kgs, 84, 84+kgs.
Men – 53kgs (Sub junior and junior), 59kgs, 66kgs, 74kgs, 83kgs, 93kgs, 105kgs, 120kgs, 120+kgs.