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IPF/NAPF Regional Powerlifting Championships
Anis Ade-Thoma
-Thomas smashes Commonwealth, national records
Guyana’s Anis Ade-Thomas smashed his Commonwealth Dead-Lift record en route to a silver medal at the just-concluded International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), North American Powerlifting Federation (NAPF) Regional Championships held at the Westin Hotel, Grand Cayman Islands.
Competing in the Men’s Junior 83kg to 93kg combined category, Ade-Thomas, despite arriving on the Island the night before competing, showed why he is regarded as the best in the Caribbean and the Commonwealth, when he captured the silver medal behind USA’s and NAPF Reigning NAPF Champion, Conway Brookes.
In achieving silver, Ade-Thomas also set new national records for the Squat 265kg (584.32lbs); Bench Press 132.5kg (292.16lbs); Dead-Lift 295kg (650.47lbs) and Total 692.5kg (1,526.96lbs).
He set a new Commonwealth Junior Dead-Lift record of 295.0kgs to erase the old mark of 292.5kg, which was achieved at the Caribbean Championships in March of this year.
Competition in the Men’s Open 83kg Category saw one of the tournament’s best clashes between Ade-Thomas and Thibeaux of the USA battling it out for second place honors behind the outstanding Brookes.
Both Thomas and Thibeaux started the squat even at 265kg (584.32lbs) before Thibeaux gained the lead with a Bench Press of 182.5kg (402.41lbs) to Thomas’ 132.5kg (292.16lbs).
Entering the final lift (Dead Lift), and trailing his rival by a huge 50kg (110.25lbs), the current Junior Commonwealth 83kg Dead-Lift record holder pulled out all the stops to lift a Personal Best and New Commonwealth Record of 295kg (650.47lbs) to Thibeaux’s 245kg (540.22lbs) erasing the deficit completely and finishing equal with his rival on a total of 692.5kgs (1,526.96lbs).
However, Thibeaux with a lighter bodyweight of 82.7kgs to Thomas 83kgs gained the nod for second place with Thomas taking third.
Attending the championships along with Ade-Thomas was Guyana Amateur Power Lifting (GAPF) Vice-President, Edwin Spencer, who was this nation’s representative at the World Anti-Doping Agency symposium as well as the North American Congress. Spencer enjoyed a successful debut as an IPF Category II Referee.
In an invited comment, GAPF President, Peter Green stated that he is “delighted that Thomas has justified the confidence and funding placed in him by the Executive in what was an extremely challenging competition in his last year as a Junior (U-23) lifter”.
Ade-Thomas’ achievement was made all the more sweeter given the fact that he had to battle an overweight problem prior to leaving Guyana. He had to suppress his liquid intake and shrugged off Jet-lag to make the qualifying weight of 83kgs. His eventual achievement speaks volumes of the athlete from the Ancient County of Berbice, who is coached by Egbert Jackson and is a member of the Total Fitness Gym based at Corriverton.
Meanwhile, fellow Berbician and Junior 59kg Commonwealth Dead-Lift record holder, Vijai Rahim is part of a two-man team to attend the South American Championships in Cali, Colombia in two weeks, pending the Federation’s ability to raise the necessary funding. Rahim’s needs US$1500 to participate in Columbia.
To date, only the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club has answered the call with a monetary donation towards the purchase of supplements and coverage of Rahim’s one week absence from work without pay from his place of employ, GuySuco, after the company has refused to grant Rahim time off with pay.
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