ON the opening day of IPF/NAPF Regional Power Lifting Championships in Mexico City, Mexico, the ‘Golden Arrowhead’ flew high as Guyana’s Nadina Taharally won a Gold Medal in the Women’s 72KG Raw Masters 1 category and a Bronze Medal in the Women’s 72KG Raw Master’s Open while Paul Adams won Gold in the Men’s Classic Raw Open 83Kg category.

Taharally who was the first Guyanese athlete to compete, had a combined total weight lifted of 355Kg in the Raw Masters 1 category. She had a best Squat of 130Kg, Bench Press of 65Kg and a 160Kg Deadlift.

Her Total Wilks points was 355.85 which was good enough to land her the Gold Medal ahead of Mexico’s Luisa Torres.

In the Women’s 72KG Raw Master’s Open, Taharally was pipped by Costa Rica’s Kimberly Lara to the Silver medal and had to settle for Bronze while Aurora Perez (Mexico) copped Gold.

Taharally lifted a total of 355Kg with a Squat of 130Kg, Bench pressed 65Kg and Deadlifted 160Kg.

Perez had a total of 432.5Kg while Lara’s total of 357.5Kg was good enough to land her the Silver.

Meanwhile, another female Guyanese athlete, Grace Babb, also gave a good account of herself in the same category, finishing fourth overall. She had a total of 307.5Kg lifted with a Squat of 107.5Kg, Bench press of 60Kg and a Deadlift of 140Kg.

Adams who was the only male Guyanese athlete to compete on the opening day won a close battle with Panama’s Jose Garcia Rodriguez to clinch the Gold medal.

Adams whose new Personal Best (PB) Deadlift of 262.5Kg sealed his victory, had a total weight of 617.5Kg lifted, with his best Squat at 215Kg and Bench press of 140Kg.

Garcia Rodriguez lifted a total of 615Kg with a best Squat of 235kg, Bench pressed 137.5Kg and Deadlifted 242.5Kg for his Silver Medal.

Meanwhile Costa Rica’s Alejandro Irias Quesada took Bronze with a total of 510Kg lifted, his best Squat was 182.5Kg, Bench press 110Kg and deadlift 217.5Kg.

The Championships continue today with the rest of Guyanese athletes in action.

The athletes are as follows:

Grace Babb (Women’s Classic Open, 72kg)

Nadina Taharally (Women’s Classic Open and Women’s Classic Masters I, 72kg)

Paul Adams (Men’s Classic Open, 83kg)

Franklyn Brisport (Men’s Equipped Open and Men’s Equipped Masters II, 66kg)

Carlos Petterson (Men’s Classic Open and Men’s Equipped Open, 93kg)

Nairanjan Singh (Men’s Equipped Open and Men’s Equipped Masters IV, 83kg)

Erwyn Smith (Men’s Equipped Open, 93kg)

Frank Tucker (Men’s Equipped Open and Men’s Equipped Masters III, 105kg)