NAPF Championships – Mexico... GAPLF’s shortlist of 12 aiming to travel to Mexico

NAPF Championships – Mexico… GAPLF’s shortlist of 12 aiming to travel to Mexico

Jun 13, 2018 Sports

Carlos Petterson deadlifts 330kg, a new national junior and open record at the at the 2017 NAPF/FESUPO championships in Florida, USA. (Franklin Wilson photo)

Secretary of the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) Andrea Smith has disclosed that plans are progressing well for the August 1 – 4, 6th Annual IPF/NAPF North American Regional Powerlifting Championships to be held at the Sevilla Palace Hotel, Mexico City, Mexico.
The federation’s had originally shortlisted 15 athletes for the trip but some have opted not to pursue going due to varying reasons which has brought the numbers down to 12.
Procuring sponsorship continues to be an ‘uphill climb’ Smith indicated but the athletes are not giving up she stated.
Headlining the team would be the 24 year-old Carlos Petterson who will contest the 93kg category. He recently set an Equipped Deadlift record at the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) Intermediate Championships of 320kg; he also set a new Total record.
Petterson is also the reigning Pan American Junior Deadlift and Total record holder; Commonwealth Deadlift record holder as well as the South American Squat, Deadlift and Total record holder.
The other athletes on the shortlist are USA based Masters athlete Nairanjan Singh, the indomitable Winston ‘Little Master’ Stoby, Weightlifting Federation President Frank Tucker who has been rolling back the years in this segment of the weights sport, Joseph Stoll, Franklyn Brisport, Erwyn Smith, Demetri Chan, Paul Adams, Phillip Romalho, Nadina Taharally and Grace Babb.
Smith has also noted that the athletes who are going are all medal prospects and whilst she cannot predict how they will do, she is confident they will all do well. A number of fund raising events have been held to date to aid in offsetting expenses for the trip.
The local strongmen and women created history in 2017 when they captured a combined 33 medals at the 16th Annual NAPF/FESUPO Pan-American Powerlifting Championships; 15th Annual NAPF North American Regional Powerlifting Championships and 32nd Annual FESUPO South American Powerlifting Championships in Orlando, Florida, USA.
The athletes, which included the returning Petterson, Singh, Stoby, Smith, Chan and Taharally hauled-in 19 gold, 9 silver and 5 bronze medals and in the process also set a number of new records.