Powerlifters still to raise $2M ahead of Caribbean C/ships

Mar 20, 2012 Sports

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– 3.9M budget overall; Gov’t assistance needed

 

Without a doubt, the sport of Powerlifting in Guyana has come on leaps and

bounds over the years with Guyanese athletes gaining international recognition and respect. Powerlifters have been doing their bit to keep the Golden Arrowhead aloft at the Caribbean, Regional, Commonwealth and International levels.
This has been so despite the enormous financial challenges they face continually in terms of their personal preparation and raising monies to represent Guyana at the various competitions.
The lack of finances to support their individual quests for glory is once again facing the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) team that has been selected to represent this country at the 6th Annual International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) / North American Powerlifting Federation (NAPF) / Caribbean Championships, March 28 -31, 2012 at the University of the Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.
One of the reasons in the past that affected full scale representation was the procurement of visas but that is not a problem this time around since all the team members were granted visas by the US Embassy.
To their credit, the GAPF has been doing a fantastic job with the little resources, financial and otherwise they have been garnering through fund raising and whatever corporate sponsorship support they have been able to come by.
Some of the athletes over the years have had to raise their own monies in order to represent their country; this time around has been no different with Fitness Express and Windjammer International Hotel among those businesses that have contributed.
The GAPF in a bid to recapture the Team Title, which Guyana won for the first time when the Caribbean championship was held here in 2010, have selected 12-athletes all with a chance of medaling in the top 3.
Leading the contingent is Three-Time Caribbean Overall Best Lifter Randolph ‘the Accomplisher’ Morgan and Female Sensation Dawn McCammon Barker.
In 2011, Guyana really stepped into the limelight with both Morgan and Barker setting first time Commonwealth records and the third big gun, ‘Big’ John Edwards copping a bronze medal at the World Masters Championships.
Powerlifting, which has been rejuvenated under the leadership of its dedicated and no nonsense President Peter Green, has moved from a position of having just two world ranked lifters in 2008 to well over 15 world ranked (all locally based) lifters, presently.
Defending their title in 2011 in the Cayman Islands with just five lifters from an eight man quota Guyana still managed to finish second,

being narrowly beaten by an eight man Trinidad and Tobago Team but ahead of the other full teams.
This year’s Caribbean Championships apart from being the lowest in terms of financial costs with a budget of $3.9M also offers the local team members the opportunity to gain individual world ranking through personal best efforts as well as the chance for two of the Men’s team members to set World records due to the presence of internationally certified judges.
The championship will also be broadcast live to millions of avid Powerlifting fans in Europe, Asia, Oceania, North and South America which creates a window of opportunity to showcase Guyana and this opportunity should not be missed.
Randolph Morgan, with a 2011 best lift of 320kgs (705.6lbs) in the dead lift apart from going for an unprecedented fourth Caribbean title, will be using this event to attempt to break the World record of 345kgs (760.72lbs) as a prelude to his participation at the World Open Championships in October in Puerto Rico .
The top twelve in his category are expected to qualify for the World Games to be held in 2013 in Cali Columbia. Likewise, Dawn Barker will be going all out to retain her title as well as erase her existing records with the aim of also peaking in time for the World Open Championship in Puerto Rico where she too will be attempting to qualify for the 2013 World Games in Cali Columbia.
Similarly, World ranked No. 1 Masters Lifter Winston Stoby who was denied a sure chance of giving Powerlifting its first World Gold Medal and title in 2011 due to late approval of his visa to Canada is still the highest ranked at No. 1 at the start of 2012.
Stoby has a best dead lift of

277kgs (610.78lbs) and is set to break the existing World record of 265kgs (584.32lbs). He will also be using this championship as a prelude to him attending this year’s World Masters Championship in Texas to claim his rightful crown.
The Current exciting crop of Junior and Sub Junior lifters were carefully selected for their sure ability to “bring home the bacon” in both Junior and Senior categories with Vijai Rahim tipped to win the Best lifter overall Junior category.
His nearest threat comes from fellow compatriot Anis Ade-Thomas. The Suraj Brothers in the Sub Junior categories are set to give their Hometown of Corriverton huge honors with both starting favorites in their individual weight class.
With the athletes and the GAPF doing their bit along with the few corporate entities that have contributed to date, $1.9M of the $3.9 million budget has been raised. According to a high ranking official of the federation, it is now time for the President of Guyana Donald Ramatour to step up and assist the team with the remainder of the funds.
Starting lineup and ranking of Guyanese lifters as released by the officials in the final nominations.
TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MEN OPEN (SENIORS)
59kg class             V. Rahim (GUY)
Suraj Shewdas (GUY)        Emil Askil (USVI)            74kg class
Winston Stoby (GUY)
Paul Adams (GUY)        I. Laboy (PUR)
N. Singh (USA)
V. Lutchman (TT)            D. Isles (USVI)
83kg class
Randolph Morgan (GUY)
Germaine Snagg (GUY)
J. Klostergaard (USA)
N. Richards (BVI)
J. Gonzalez (PUR)
L. Donastorg (USVI)
R. Walker (USVI)
105kg class            A. Gonzalez (PUR)        A. Browne (TT)
Karel Mars (GUY)        J. Johnson (TT)
C. Plaskett (USVI)        B. Heilmich (USA)
A. Pickering (BVI)
A. Bobben (CAY)
J. Timithoy (CAY)
120kg class
Colin Chesney (GUY)
L. Nieves (PUR)
C. Greene (TT)
A. Farnum (TT)
C. Baptiste (USVI)
No Guyanese entries in the 66kg, 93kg and 120+kg classes.
WOMEN’S TEAM LINE UP No Guyanese entries in the 52kg, 57kg, 63kg, 72kg classes.
(84kg and 84+kg combined)
Dawn Barker (GUY)
J. Baez (PUR)
G. Maduro (BVI)
Y. McIntyre (TT)
Kimberly Mars-Loncke (GUY)
T. Plaskett (USVI)
R. Hackney (USA).

 

 

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