NAPF/Caribbean and NAPF/FESUPO Powerlifting … Confident 15-member team leaves Guyana tomorrow for battle; six to make debuts

Jul 01, 2017 Sports, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....-six-to-make-debuts/

By Franklin Wilson
A confident 15-member national team of strongwomen and men will leave Guyana tomorrow for the USA where they will battle for top honours at the 16th Annual NAPF/FESUPO Pan-American Powerlifting Championships; 15th Annual NAPF North American Regional Powerlifting Championships and 32nd Annual FESUPO South American Powerlifting Championships in Orlando, Florida, USA.
Set for the Hyatt Regency Hotel: Intercontinental Ballroom from Monday, Team Guyana featuring four women inclusive of the exciting Tineisha Toney and Britny Mack and eight males including the experienced duo of ‘Big’ John Edwards and Winston ‘Little Master’ Stoby will be aiming to power to individual and team glory during the course of the week.
Making their respective first appearances on the international stage will be Nadina Taharally, Toney, Demetri Chan, Carlos Peterson, Romario Gonsalves and Arif Immamdeen. These debutants will not be short of top of the line guidance as a number of seasoned campaigners are also making the trip.
Leading the females as well as doubling as Team Manager will be Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) Secretary, Andrea Smith (63kg) who will compete in the 63kg category women Open raw classic; women Open equipped, Taharally is set to make her name in the 72kg Masters 1 (40+) and Open divisions, Britny Mack will contest the 47kg class – women Sub-Junior raw classic; women Open raw/classic; women Open equipped; women Sub Junior equipped; women Open equipped, while Toney is set to take the 57kg class by storm in the women Open raw classic; women Sub Junior raw/classic; women Open equipped and women Sub Junior equipped.
In the male division Demetri Chan will contest the 74kg – men Junior raw/classic, Arif Immamdeen (66kg) men Open equipped; men Junior equipped, Carlos Peterson (93kg) men Open raw classic, Romario Gonsalves (59kg) men Open raw/classic; men Junior raw/classic; men Open equipped; men Junior equipped; men Sub Junior equipped, Erwyn Smith (93kg) men Open equipped, Winston ‘Little Master’ Stoby Masters 11 50+ (74kg) men Open equipped; Masters 11 50+ equipped; Nairjanjan Singh (83kg) men Open equipped; men Masters 1V/70+ equipped; ‘Big’ John Edwards (120kg) men Open raw/classic; men Masters 11/50+ raw/classic; men Open equipped; men Masters 11/50+ equipped.
Team Management: Osmand Mack – Coach, John Edwards – Coach/Referee IPF Cat. 2, Edwin Spencer – Referee IPF Cat.2, Colin Austin – Referee IPF Cat. 2.
Speaking with Kaieteur Sport, Team Manager Andrea Smith expressed confidence that despite the team being reduced as a result of varying circumstances including some opting out due to personal reasons, Team Guyana is confident of doing well.
She disclosed that apart from some assistance that was received from the Government of Guyana, the athletes embarked on a sustained sponsorship blitz that bore encouraging results resulting in 12-members making the trip.
The federation GS also noted that the size of the contingent is a huge leap from last year when only three lifters were able to attend when it took place in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Then, Smith along with Erwyn Smith and Karel Mars also attended.
The federation met with the athletes on Saturday last to go over of number of issues relating to next week’s championships.

Carlos Petterson sets New 93kg Junior Un-Equipped deadlift record of 310kg in April 2017. Franklin Wilson photo.