Commonwealth Powerlifting Championships: Bjorn Williams captures deadlift silver as Guyana end campaign on high

Bjorn Williams recorded the best performance of his career when he closed off his campaign in the 105kg Open class at the Commonwealth Men’s Classic Powerlifting Championships in Sun City, South Africa.
With a huge pull of 307.5kg, the best in his career to date, Williams ended with the silver medal, a just reward for his hard work and discipline. While not medalling in the squat or bench press, competing against nine other athletes, Williams was still able to record his best squat (245.0kg) and his best bench was 162.5kg.
These lifts allowed him to also record his best total (715.0kg), to mark a memorable sojourn, shining bright in Sun City.
Williams’s previous best squat was 235.0kg which he achieved in Uruguay in 2019 while his best deadlift was 305.0kg accomplished in New Zealand, two years ago.
Williams commented on his stellar achievement: “Today’s performance was my best of all times. Perfect way to transition into the realm of a Master lifter. All praise and thanks be to God and all those that believed in my abilities.”

Williams’s teammate, Demetri Chan, who won the 74kg bench press competition gold medal on Friday last, was primed to add to that medal in the Commonwealth Men’s Classic Powerlifting Championships on Tuesday.
However, he was hard done by some questionable referring calls during his second and third bench press attempts when the command took too long to be given. Chan’s bar was also misloaded twice for his deadlifts, these challenges added up to throw the athlete off course.
Nonetheless, Chan is resolved to continue his comeback to this level of competition and will come even stronger in the future.
Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) President Franklin Wilson offered congratulations to Williams for a fantastic overall performance and his silver medal.
“Your dedication and determination to ensure that you competed have paid the kind of dividends that would only make you better in your career. You, like the other lifters, have made yourself and Guyana proud and for this, we are grateful, congratulations to you all.”
The GAPLF expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport; National Sports Commission; the Guyana Olympic Association; Fitness Express; and E Master Corporation for supporting the team to South Africa while Williams expressed thanks to Team Stoby Shakes, JR Engineering, and LWC Investments for their support.
Williams’s silver medal increased Guyana’s medal tally to five, as the squad has already won three gold and two bronze medals at the Commonwealth championships. In the World Masters, where Nadina Taharally and Roger Rogers competed apart from the Commonwealth – the competitions running simultaneously – Guyana captured one silver and four bronze medals.

Final Medal Tally
World Masters
Gold Silver Bronze
0 1 4
Commonwealth Championships
3 5 2