Mars places 5th in 105kg open division

Jul 12, 2011 Sports

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Guyana’s Karel Mars placed a credible 5th out of 8 athletes in the most competitive group at the just concluded 9th IPF/NAPF North American Tournament of the Americas and Regional Powerlifting Championships held at the Hyatt Hotel, Miami, Florida over the weekend.
Mars’ teammate Dawn Barker kept the Golden Arrowhead aloft on day one when in record breaking fashion won the Women 84+kg weight class and in the process set a new squat record of 237.5kgs to replace the old mark of 234kgs.
Despite his placing, Mars, who is the Caribbean Champion proved to be no walk over being the best placed finisher for the Caribbean, followed by Trinidad lifters Jesse Johnson and Adrian Brown as well as Mexico’s Pardo.
Eventual winner John McDonald of Canada with a total of 897.5kg, 2nd and 3rd placed lifters Steve Goggins and Tyler Gerfers with identical totals of 835kgs and 4th placed finisher Antonio Sosa (Puerto Rico) with 797.5kg preceded Mars.
However, in winning the Caribbean Championships Mars had totaled 800kgs but a tactical error in terms of his final weights made it difficult for him to finish with a better place.
With more time and steadfast application to his training, Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) President Peter Green is confident Mars will rise up in the ranks is assured.
A very salient point to note, Green said would be the fact that in the World Games bodyweight and not the highest lift will be the deciding factor.
He said a comparison sees Mars with a bodyweight of 97.4 bettering Sosa’s bodyweight 103.3, the Wilkes factor being in Mars’ favour with a total of 489 points compared to Sosa 479 points.
J. Johnson Trinidad 98.5 bombed out in squat 272.5, while his countryman A. Browne followed suit in bench at 195.0.
Even more phenomenal was the fact the winner John McDonald competed in last year’s Regional in July with a bodyweight of 122.5kgs in the 125kg category.
To have reduced his weight to 105kg and still maintain his power raised eyebrows. He was one of two lifters in the 105kg class automatically selected for drug testing.
Despite Mars not being able to medal, Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation President Peter
Green said he was proud of his athletes and believes that the championships was an eye opener in many ways.
These championships are billed as the Marquee event in the NAPF Calendar and brings together top athletes from the North, Central and the Caribbean Regions, this year’s championship saw the top rated lifters from the USA and Puerto Rico defending their backyard with scintillating performances in both the Men and Women’s, Juniors, Open and Masters Categories.
Leading the charge for the USA in the overall Women’s Open category from a field of 15 lifters were Hall of Famer Priscilla Ribic (72kg class) with a Wilkes point total of 591.34 from fellow American Rhonda Clarke (84kg class) who totaled 446.45 and Guyana’s own Dawn Barker (84+kg class) and total of 436.86.
Rhonda Clarke (USA) rebounded to take the Masters overall category first place from compatriot Donna Marts 428.17 points (72kg class) and Mexico’s Penelope Villegas 417.68 points (63kg class) in a field of 10 lifters.
The Female Junior overall title was won by USA lifter Leslie Kutner 418.08 points (63kg class) from Puerto Rico’s Ladys Burgos 408.48 points (72kg class) and the youngest female lifter and Caribbean Champion Jannitzzi Tapia also of Puerto Rico 386.66 points (57kg class).
Team USA (7 lifters) took first place honors with 51 points followed by Team Puerto Rico 49 points (6 Lifters), Trinidad (2 lifters) 16 points, Guyana (1 lifter) 12 points and the higher Wilkes points than Team Mexico’s solitary lifter with 12 points also.
In the Men’s segment of the Open Overall Category from a field of 37 lifters USA Hall of famer David Ricks 577.17 points (93kg class) was unbeatable winning from compatriots Steve Mann 547.34 (120kg class) and Ian Bell 547.21 (93kg class).
Ricks also took the Masters Overall title from a field of 18 lifters with compatriots Steve Goggins 500.16 (105kg class) second and Puerto Rico’s Antonio Sosa 479.37 (105kg class) third.
The overall Junior segment saw the pattern continuing with USA’s Ian Bell being unstoppable 547.21 points (93kg class), compatriots Conway Brooks 521.11 (83kg class) and Fred Lomangino 502.85 points (120+ class) coming in 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Team USA (8 lifters) once again took the Men’s team title 57 points from Mexico 50 points (11 lifters) in second and Puerto Rico (6 lifters) in 3rd.
Other countries competing were Trinidad & Tobago, Canada, US Virgin islands, Costa Rica, Guyana and the Cayman Islands.
The traditional GALA awards presentation and Banquet dinner held after the championships saw IPF Vice President Johnny Graham of the USA being the feature speaker and famed soprano singer Karina Campos of Costa Rica serenading the gathering with a mixture of English and Latin American ballads much to the delight of the athletes and officials present.
The GAPF is expressing gratitude on behalf of all the lifters who have been able to attend International Championships to date.
Special thanks were extended to Mr. George MacDonald of Banks DIH Limited, Mr. Troy Cadogan of Ansa McAl Trading and Mr. Reginald Persaud of International Pharmaceutical Agency.

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