Second National Powerlifting Championships event stirs interest

WITH JUST one event to come in the National Powerlifting Association of Jamaica’s (NPAJ) National Championships series, the points are stacking up.

The changes in where the various ompetitors stack up headed into the final competition in the series has happened on account of a particularly interesting bench-only event last weekend.

The bench-press only meet was forced indoors by bouts of rain but that did not mar the atmosphere at the Fit Farm Complex.

Despite the good spirits, it was a tough day’s competition for some athletes, as seen from the failure of some to register a mark from their three rounds.

Top performers

When the sun came out on the top performers at day’s end, Ayana Duhaney was best among the women, courtesy of a point score of 30.42.

The event was scored based on the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) GL point scoring system.

Duhaney, who was one of two females to make successful three-from-three lifts, was earlier awarded a medal for leading the 84kg weight class with a bench press of 155lb.

She had opened with 135lb, before moving up to 150lb for the second round.

Her performance matched that of the previous meet, which featured only squats. She copped the class award then as the sole competitor, and also had a perfect lift record in that showing.

Meanwhile, the top male contender was Jevon DaCosta. A national representative, DaCosta earned 56.41 GL points.

In the 93kg weight class, he led that set by weight with a lift of 430lb from the second round. He faltered at that weight in the opening round and opted out of his final round attempt of 455lb to end with the sole clean lift on the day.

For the other sectional awards, Shaniqueka Allman took the women’s 69kg weight class with a lift of 125lb.

The only other female from the six to make three-from-three clean lifts, Allman had opened her campaign with 105lb, before upping the ante to 115lb. Fiona Binns, who dropped two weight classes since the squats in May, took the 76kg. That was courtesy of her second round 110lb lift. She started at 95lb, and closed the curtain with a failed attempt at 115lb.

For the over 84kg weight class, Aiesha Denton’s second round of 155lb was the best on the day.

Denton opened with 135lb but could not make for a good lift at 185lb in the final round. Denton, like Duhaney, is now two-from-two for weight-class wins since the beginning of the series.

The males’ action had Damar Grant lead the 83kg class with a 275lb best from the opening round. He had increased to an even 300lb but failed to make good at that weight in the following two rounds.

In the 120kg category, Johnwayne Goulbourne’s second-round 330lb lift put him on top. He was also successful at his first round where he moved 315lb but failed at 375lb in the final round.

Meanwhile, Shaun Simpson led the over 120kg weight class with a lift of 425lb. That was his sole clean lift on the day, failing at 415lb and 445lb in the first and third rounds, respectively. Simpson was also a repeat weight-class winner, having come out on top in the squats.

Gregory Brown’s performance was one of merit on the day. With a measured showing, Brown walked away as the sole male contender of 16 to make three-from-three clean lifts. He posted numbers of 265, 295, and 310lb.

The National Powerlifting Series is set to wrap up with its strictly deadlift meet on September 24, 2022.