The National Sports Commission (NSC) on Tuesday covered in its totality, the cost for Carlos Petterson-Grifith to attend the 2021 World Classic Powerlifting Championships in Halmstad, Sweden, from September 23 to October 1.
Considered one of the strongest men in the South American and Pan Am regions, Petterson-Grifith will be the lone Guyanese to compete at the event, which brings together the best powerlifters in the world.
“Our budget is not infinite. With our limited resources, we try to see as best as possible we can spread it out to all sport disciplines,” Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle said at the simple presentation which was held at the NSC.
According to Ninvalle, the NSC and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport listed Petterson-Grifith as an elite athlete, making him eligible for substantial funding.
“Mr. Peterson-Griffith is an elite athlete; he has been making this country proud. He has just done that a month ago, breaking several records and we feel that it’s just appropriate that we assist him and continue to assist him in his climb to becoming one of the best in the world,” the Director of Sport added.
Ninvalle was keen to highlight, “This is not our final round of assistance to him and to the sport of powerlifting and we do hope that he can bring back several records and medals when he gets to Sweden. We would like to say congratulations and we know that he will do his best; if he best warrants a medal, then that is what we want.”
Meanwhile, the country’s ‘strongest man’ thanked Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr. and the NSC for their unwavering support and putting him in a position to only focus on competing.
“It has been a great honour representing the Golden Arrowhead and I want to say thanks to the NSC and the Director of Sport. This is just the stepping-stone, not just for myself, but to other elite athletes who go out there and perform to bring ‘it home’ every time,” Petterson-Grifith said.
With over 600 athletes set to compete, the 2021 World Classic Powerlifting Championships is the largest event on the International Powerlifting Federation’s calendar.