The Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) has closed off a hectic 2023 on the international stage with a healthy haul of medals from its two-member team at the ongoing World Classic & Equipped Masters Powerlifting Championships, taking place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

On debut and hitting the platform yesterday, Nadina Taharally competed in the Women’s Classic M11 76kg and was good enough for the silver medals in the squat, bench press, deadlift, and total, a very classy performance against five other competitors.

Not only were her lifts good enough for the silver medals, but she shattered a number of records at the Pan American and Fesupo levels.

Taharally achieved a best squat of 150.0kg, bench press of 77.5kg, deadlift of 182.5kg, and a total of 410.0kg. Her new Pan American records are in the above lifts and total whilst her new Fesupo records are in the squat, deadlift, and total.

Canadian Sylvia Atkinson won the gold medal achieving a best squat of 182.5kg, bench press of 82.5kg, deadlift of 192.5kg, and a total of 457.5kg. The bronze medal went to Great Britain’s Franka Ronsome whose best squat was 130.0kg, bench press 60.0kg, deadlift 167.5kg, and total, 357.5kg. Other athletes in this category were from Finland, Australia, and Norway.

Roger Rogers competing in the 120kg Men’s Classic division won a silver medal in the Squat (262.5), a bronze in the Bench Press (162.5), and a silver in the Total (680.0). Rogers also achieved a new Fesupo squat record.

His category, which attracted a total of 11 athletes, was won by Canadian Scott Robertson, squat 310.0kg, bench press 205.0kg, deadlift 275.0kg, and a total of 790.0kg. The bronze was taken by Great Britain’s Darren Grenville, best squat of 250.0kg, bench press of 170.0kg, and deadlift of 260.0ky for a total of 680.0kg.

The other athletes in Rogers’ category were from USVI, Garmez Parks who won the deadlift bronze, USA, Denmark, Libya, Netherlands, France, Japan, and India.

GAPLF President, Franklin Wilson extended congratulations to both Taharally and Rogers on their excellent achievements for Guyana on behalf of the Federation’s Executive Committee and the Powerlifting fraternity, noting that they have kept up the medal haul that was started by Carlos Petterson at Senior Worlds (silver and bronze), Sub-Junior and Junior Worlds where Romeo Hunter snared the squat gold and Dominic Tyrell got a silver in the deadlift.

The GAPLF is expressing its gratitude to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle, the National Sports Commission, the Guyana Olympic Association, Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Public Works, Fitness Express, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, and E-Master Corporation for their support in making this possible.