– The one-man Olympian

By Frederick Halley
THE name Martin Dias was synonymous with weightlifting in then British Guiana. Popularly known as “The Mighty Midget,” Dias, who has been living in Canada for the past 52 years, had the unique distinction of being his homeland’s lone representative at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Lack of funds meant there wasn’t a manager or coach.

In a candid virtual conversation with the Pepperpot Magazine from the comfort of his home in Brampton, Ontario, Dias explained that he got into the sport of weightlifting through sheer coincidence, while confessing that he has no regrets since it was a very satisfying sojourn.

According to Dias, after finishing work at then Bookers Store in the afternoons, it was customary for him to “help out” at his brother-in-law’s jewellery shop as he intended to make that his occupation since he was fond of jewellery.

In the meantime, he did a bit of bodybuilding to keep himself fit, since he also felt that he boasted a perfect body for that sport.

A resident of King Edward Street, Albouystown, Dias pointed out that his main liming spot was Harold Lall’s shop, where consuming cider and milk with a few friends was a regular pastime.

As fate would have it, during one of his visits to Lall’s shop, he was accosted by two gentlemen, most likely because of his physique, to join their club at the back of the said shop.

Reluctantly, Dias took up the offer, marking the start of a remarkable career. Within three months, he pointed out, he was already into the Novices National Championships, placing second in the bantamweight division.

It was then on to the Junior and Senior Championships. Dias continued his prowess despite placing second in the latter.

On the international scene, Dias is credited as one of the most decorated athletes to emerge from Guyana, but feels his exploits haven’t been fully recognised. This sentiment has also been echoed by his long-standing coach Ronald Blackman, who also resides in Toronto.

During the years 1963 and 1964, he was considered the third-best bantamweight in the world. At the same time, he held all four Commonwealth weightlifting bantamweight records.

Martin’s feats include capturing a Silver medal at the 1962 Central American & Caribbean Games in Kingston, Jamaica; Bronze medallist the same year at the British Empire Games in Perth, Australia; Gold medallist at the 1963 Pan-American Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil; British Commonwealth Games Silver medallist at Kingston,
Jamaica in 1966 and Pan-American Games Bronze medallist in 1967 at Winnipeg, Canada.

While he failed to “medal” at the Tokyo Olympics, which incidentally was the only international game in which he didn’t make the podium, Dias was the only South American and Caribbean weightlifter who lived up to his pre-Olympic Games billing. His total of 739.5 pounds tied him for sixth place. He was singled out by the Secretary-General of the World Weightlifting Federation for special praise for his performance.

What was more remarkable about his performance was that before leaving British Guiana, his record lift was 690 pounds.

Prior to the start of the competition, Dias was two pounds overweight and faced the possibility of being disqualified

The Japanese officials quickly placed him in a hot tub for about 10 minutes, where he sweated off the two pounds. This procedure, while successful in the weight reduction, tended to weaken him. Dias was, however, determined not let to this setback deter him.

Using the setback as an impetus, he went on to achieve his greatest international total of 739.5 pounds. When he made his last clean and jerk of 292.5 pounds, breaking the Commonwealth record in the process, he received a standing ovation from the Japanese audience, fitting for a Gold medallist.

Sixteen years later, Guyana would celebrate its first and only Olympic medal – a bronze for Michael Anthony Parris in boxing. But in 1964, Dias had won the hearts of many sports lovers in Japan and proved to the world how worthwhile it is to send even a one-man team to the world’s greatest sporting festival-the Olympic Games.

According to coach Blackman, “when one considers the relatively crude conditions under which he trained and competed at home, his achievements take on huge proportions. The sobriquet ‘Mighty Midget’ bestowed on him by his gym mates speaks volumes of his abilities.”

According to Blackman, “You have to travel with him and be present during his international competitions, as I have had the privilege and honour to do, to fully grasp Martin’s achievements.”

Blackman recalled two incidents which he said demonstrated the character of the true champion – “In the 1963 Pan-American Games, trailing Fernando Baez, of Puerto Rico, the world record holder in the press by 23 pounds after the first lift, I overheard a conversation between Gary Hanson, the American bantamweight champion and the great Tommy Kono, who was coaching Hanson.

“Hanson wanted Kono’s assessment of Martin’s performance while Kono dismissed Martin as irrelevant. He said the lifter Hanson had to worry about was Hector Curiel of Curacao.

“I immediately repeated the conversation to Martin, who said to leave it up to him and not to worry. Martin and I consulted, and we adjusted his ‘calls’ in the next two lifts- the snatch and clean and jerk and soundly defeated Baez, Hanson and Curiel. He, in fact, prevented the Americans, the world’s best at the time, from winning every weight-class. They were not too pleased, to say the least.”

Blackman feels that Dias has gone unsung for too many years. Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Jamaica, Canada and Japan have all given him a hero’s welcome and adulation, but not his homeland Guyana. “Let us not wait until he has left us, to honour and praise him. Let us do it now that he is here with us. He has served his country well. It is time that his country recognises his contributions.”

An automobile “specialist,” Dias worked at Geddes Grant and Bookers before migrating to Canada and prior to retirement, the now 85-year-old did similar jobs in Canada with Chevy and Chrysler dealerships.

Born at Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, Dias moved to Georgetown at an early age before migrating to Canada in 1969.