by Rawle Toney
VETERAN Guyana and West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Squash ace Nicolette Fernandes were last Friday named Guyana’s top sports personalities for 2012, when the National Sports Commission held its voting process for the esteemed awards at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The judging panel comprised NSC Chairman Conrad Plummer, Director of Sport Neil Kumar, Frank DeAbreu, Carlton Joao, Steve Ninvalle, Sharda Veeren-Chand, Daniel Singh, Justice Cecil Kennard, Stephan Sookram, Sonia Roberts and yours truly.
However it is my opinion and I’m sure the same for the true-at-heart sports fans, neither Chanderpaul nor Fernandes is deserving of the award given, based on the outstanding performances of those whom they have beaten in the voting process.
I’m sure that my sentiments expressed in this column might spark an outrage among those who not only voted but nominated both winners. However having sat on the panel of esteemed judges for this year’s award, I think it’s safe to say that popularity and NOT facts presented gained them the award.
Who do I think is fitting of this award? Some may ask; my answer Winston Stoby or Randolph Morgan for the men and Dawn Barker for the women.
Cricket stands as the world’s second most popular sport and yes, Chanderpaul is an elite athlete among the world’s best in Test Cricket.
The left-hander, who is currently ranked number three Test batsman in the world, was the Caribbean’s highest run-scorer in that format last year, notching up 987 runs from nine games at an average of 98.7 with three centuries.
During the course of the year, Chanderpaul became the second West Indian and first Guyanese to pass 10 000 Test runs, and was also ranked the number one Test batsman by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Outstanding isn’t it? But one must remember that Chanderpaul surpassing the 10 000-run mark is a feat that could’ve been gained at anytime since it’s an accumulated total that spanned his 14-year career, that is still ongoing.
During the period under review, Stoby who was the runner-up awardee copped two gold medals in the 74kg Class at the Caribbean Powerlifting Championships in the US Virgin Islands in March and became Guyana’s first world champion in Powerlifting at the World Powerlifting Championships in Killeen, Texas, in October 2-9.
Competing in the 74kg M2 category, the 53-year-old Stoby copped gold and broke the World Record in the deadlift while adding another gold in the squat and bronze in the bench press.
Stoby is ranked number one in the world by the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), in the Caribbean, South America and Commonwealth and has a ranking of 39 in the open category.
Meanwhile, apart from being the 2012 National Champion and record holder (Squat – 300kg, Bench Press – 220kg, Deadlift – 330kg) Morgan won gold last year in the Caribbean Powerlifting Championship; a repeat of 2009, 2010 and 2011.
He’s the current Caribbean record holder in the Squat (297kg), Bench press (220kg and Deadlift (322kg) and in 2012 he raked in gold at the World Open Championships when he competed for the first time in the Deadlift category.
One needs to remember that Morgan braved the devastating Hurricane Sandy which swept through Florida, to arrive at the championships one day before it commenced and still kept the Golden Arrowhead flying proudly, when he claimed the top podium spot.
It was an achievement that prompted Minister of Sport Dr Frank Anthony, to charge Morgan to use his feats in Powerlifting as a role model for other youngsters to follow.
Out of a registered 161 lifters, Morgan is ranked number 10 in the world in the Open category by the IPF while being number one in the Caribbean, number two in South America and the Commonwealth where he is the first Guyanese and Caribbean lifter to set two Commonwealth records – Bench Press 215kg (474lb) and Total 807kg (1 780lb).
All the above-mentioned stats were all achieved during the year 2012 and NOT over their years in the sport, which leaves me to say frankly, not because of his popularity and that of the sport should Chanderpaul’s accomplishments be measured against that of others, but statistically.
In the case of Fernandes, she won the Caribbean Ladies Championship and the III Torneo International in Guatemala. That’s about it since the rest of her stats is fluffed with a bunch of semi-final appearances and non-medalling performances while being ranked at 32 in the world. Is that deserving?
Barker, the runner-up sportswoman, in 2012 became the NAPF/IPF Caribbean Women record holder in the Squat (240kg/592lb) and Deadlift (195kg/429lb) while also being named the Caribbean Women’s Open champion and best lifter.
At the end of 2012, she was ranked #15 in the world by the IPF, #3 in the Commonwealth, #1 in South America and #2 in the Caribbean and she’s also the first Guyanese and Caribbean woman to set two consecutive Commonwealth records in the squat.
Compare the aforementioned statistics and you, my dear readers, be the judge and say who truly deserves to be Guyana’s 2012 Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year.