THE Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport on Monday held an appreciation luncheon for Gumendra Shewdass, Guyana’s first junior world champion power-lifter at the New Thriving Restaurant on Main Street, Georgetown.

Gumendra is an 18-year-old sub-junior power-lifter from the Guyana Amateur Power-lifting Federation (GAPF). The nation’s youngest-ever world champion recently returned to Guyana after dominating the 53kg class at the World Sub Juniors and Juniors Championships in Killeen, Texas. He hails from Corriverton, Berbice.
The gathering at the event included Minister of Sport Dr Frank Anthony and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Alfred King, members of the team, his parents and the president of the Federation, Peter Green.
Green acknowledged that it was a very proud moment for the federation, and reported that the ministry has invested over $900 000 in preparation for Shewdass’ participation in the competition.
Minister Anthony said, “The whole of Guyana can be proud of this young man, he is an example of what can be achieved if we persevere.” He added that “all our investments in power-lifting have really paid off.”
The minister also advised the team members not to let this type of victory get to their head, but to keep on practising and striving for better and be prepared for any form of competition.
He said, “Guyana is now the powerhouse for power-lifting in the Caribbean.”
He added that he is aware that the federation is contemplating hosting some international competitions in Guyana in 2015 and indicated that the ministry fully supports the idea. The ministry also allocated a sum of money in the 2013 budget for the purchase of equipment for the federation.
The confident champion expressed his gratitude to the ministry, his trainer, his family and his teammates for their support. He added that he is looking forward to entering the junior team which he also plans to dominate.
The federation has been seeing tremendous success for a number of years. He added that the breakthrough started with ‘Big’ John Edwards.  Edwards will be participating in the upcoming IPF (International Power-lifting Federation) World Masters Power-lifting Championships in St Catherine, Canada, from September 26 to October 4, in categories of the undefeated local Open, as well as Masters heavyweight champion. He has the remarkable international record of also being undefeated at the Caribbean, Regional and Pan American level since 2008.
Winston Stoby in 1996, at the IPF Pan American Championships in Hampton Canada captured Guyana’s first gold medal in the individual dead lift, as well as setting the then record of 600 pounds. (GINA)