Powerlifters ready for National Championships

The year’s version of the competition is the largest to date with over 50 competitors (both male and female).

There will be over eight male competitors in each category competing in six weight classes (66kg, 74kg, 83kg, 93kg, 105kg and 120kg) both in the open and equipped divisions.

The female competitors will also be competing in six weight classes (56kg, 57kg, 63kg, 72kg, 84kg and 84kg plus).

All athletes will be vying for spots on the Trinidad and Tobago powerlifting team which will be competing in several events later in 2017such as the prestigious North American Championships and Commonwealth Championship scheduled for September 2017.

Vying for top honours this weekend will be 2016 North American Championship (NAC)men’s double gold medallist (Junior and Open 105kg) Rondel Hunte; NAC Open 74kg class gold medallist Adrian Knox, NAC Masters 93kg class gold medallist Marlon Belfon and NAC 105kg class gold medallist Adrian Brown. The women will also be well represented by NAC Junior 57kg class silver medallist Lutchmi Sookram and NAC Open 72kg class bronze medallist Syanna Andrews.

Powerlifting is not yet an Olympic sport but has a tremendous following with sheer power, technique and form on display. All nine local medallists (both male and female) who competed in the North American Powerlifting Federation’s competition held in St Croix in August last year will be on show this weekend.

The winner of a weight class is determined after each athlete is judged individually on each of the three categories which are Squats, Bench Press and Dead Lift, after which a total of the three scores is added for an overall total.