THE local Powerlifting 2015 season opens today at the National Gymnasium with the Novices and Junior/Sub-Juniors competitions.
Thirty lifters are registered to compete in the event which starts at 10:00hrs.
Eleven gyms are fielding athletes to compete in the Squat, Deadlift and Bench Press events.
The Novices competition has the largest number of athletes – 19 males and four females.
Of the females, Powerlifting president Peter Green said, “They’re very excited, especially two of them who are 16 & 17 respectively; very dynamic clean lifters.”
“I hope people come out to see them in action. I have not often been wrong and I’m telling you these girls have the mark of champions at the Caribbean level even though they are just novices at the moment.’
The female lifters will represent Life Gym, Elite Systems, Bodymaxx and Fitness Paradise.
For the males, Buddy’s and Bodymaxx gyms have each entered five athletes.
Other competitors have been drawn from Hardcore, Life, Elite Systems, Raw Power, Fitness Paradise, Upper Demerara, Kingsrow, Extreme Fitness and Zahiff’s Gym.
There are just four lifters in the Junior division with three guest lifters to make appearances.
Fourteen lifters have been drawn from Georgetown, East Coast Demerara and West Coast Berbice have five each, New Amsterdam four and Linden two.
The lifters will today have a plus as they are expected to use one of the new lifting sets donated by the Ministry of Sport, complete with a professional platform.
Three new sets were given to the federation on Thursday – the Eleiko brand, used in international competitions. All valued at $6M.
Green told the media, the old set that was used for previous competitions will not be used by the lifters during the warm-up at competitions.
The next competition on the calendar is the Champion of Champions Junior/Open on April 5. It is being used to replace the Caribbean Powerlifting Championships that was withdrawn from Guyana.
Green told the media on Thursday that the North American body said the airfare and accommodation to be in Guyana for the event this year was unaffordable for the other Caribbean islands. It will, however, be held here next year.
By Leeron Brumell
