Abrigo breaks 2 national records as Guyana’s lifters collect 5 medals

Keisha Abrigo established two national records and earned a deadlift bronze medal as Guyana completed the opening two days of the 2026 South American Powerlifting Championships in Santiago, Chile, with five medals.

Abrigo’s performance on Monday was part of a productive outing for three of Guyana’s four female representatives, with Nadina Taharally winning gold and debutant Kezia Joseph securing silver. Their efforts followed Sunday’s gold for Franklyn Brisport-Luke and silver for Navindra Tamasar.
Guyana’s tally at the championships, organised by the South American Powerlifting Federation (FESUPO), stands at two gold medals, two silver, and one bronze after six of the country’s 17 athletes competed.
Contesting the women’s 76-kilogram (kg) Open class, Abrigo set a national squat record of 172.5kg and a national total record of 447.5kg. She also registered a 77.5kg bench press, while her 197.5kg deadlift earned her the bronze medal.
Abrigo finished fifth in the seven-lifter Open field, one place ahead of compatriot Joseph, whose debut brought a silver medal in the separate bench press competition.
Joseph had entered that event alongside the Open competition and claimed silver with a 65kg bench press. Her other best lifts were a 170kg squat and a 165kg deadlift, giving her an overall total of 400kg.
Taharally, meanwhile, produced an error-free performance in the women’s 76kg Masters II category, successfully completing all nine attempts despite the chilly conditions in Santiago.
The seasoned campaigner won gold with a total of 380kg, comprising a best squat of 140kg, a 75kg bench press and a 165kg deadlift.
The women’s three-medal return built on the start made by Brisport-Luke and Tamasar on Sunday, September 20.
Lifting late into the night, Brisport-Luke secured Guyana’s first gold as the sole competitor in the men’s 66kg Masters II equipped category. He recorded a 125kg squat, a 72.5kg bench press and a 140kg deadlift for a total of 337.5kg.
Tamasar earned silver on debut in the men’s 66kg Open equipped class, where he competed against Ecuador’s Soria Fernando.
His squat sequence tested his composure. After successfully opening at 182.5kg, he failed at 200kg on his second attempt before returning to complete that weight on his third, encouraged by his teammates in the stands.
Tamasar went on to achieve a best bench press of 117.5kg and a 192.5kg deadlift, finishing with a total of 510kg.
Brazil-based Janice Savory was Guyana’s first competitor on the opening day. She finished outside the medals in the women’s 57kg. Open classic division, recording a 120kg squat, a 55kg bench press and a 135kg deadlift for a total of 310kg.
Both Savory and Tamasar were initially nervous but expressed gratitude for the encouragement they received from their teammates during their first competition representing Guyana.
Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation President Franklin Wilson congratulated the pair and said the federation was proud of their efforts, along with those of the other eight debutants in the squad.
Wilson said the number of new representatives reflected encouraging growth in the sport and underlined the importance of investing in development programmes.
He also congratulated two new coaches who passed the International Powerlifting Federation’s Level Two course, following the federation’s investment in their training.