Nine national records and a boost in female participation marked the success of the third annual Cayman Islands Powerlifting National Championships.
Held at The Rec Room at The Grove on Sunday, 12 April, the championships showcased a diverse range of talent across sub-junior, junior, open, and masters divisions.
Setting new national records amongst the 14-athlete roster were Destiny Cascante, Arianna McCoy, Thalia Naranjo, Bryan Cascante, Michael Rhoden, Lesley Chin, Jordan McErlean, Erick Faustino and Kevin Winton.
Three-women roster
In the women’s division, which saw performances by three female competitors, Arianna McCoy, 23, delivered a strong performance in the 75kg class with an 80kg squat, a 72.5kg bench press, and a 125kg deadlift for a 277.5kg total.
Thalia Naranjo, competing in the 60kg weight class of the open division, finished with a 210kg total – 67.5kg squat, 40kg bench press and 102.5 deadlift.
Completing the female roster in the 67.5kg weight class was Cascante, 22, who overcame early setbacks to secure a total of 207.5kg, consisting of a 67.5kg squat, a 42.5kg bench press, and a 97.5kg deadlift.
“At the very beginning, I faced a few setbacks but … when I went back, I ended up achieving two new personal records. I hope to work on not allowing my emotions get the [best] of me and allowing myself to enjoy the event to the fullest,” Cascante said.
Cascante, who began her journey in 2025 and has now competed at two national championships and one International Powerlifting Federation championship, expressed immense pride in representing women in the sport.
“Being one of the few female competitors in powerlifting means I’m not just lifting for myself. I’m also helping [to] break stereotypes and show that strength isn’t limited by gender. It’s empowering, but it also motivates me to represent and inspire other women to step onto the platform too,” she said.
Men’s division
In the men’s division, Bryan Cascante took the top spot in the Men’s Classic Raw Junior 82.5kg class with a 560kg total, featuring a 197.5kg squat, 137.5kg bench press and a 225kg deadlift.
In the open division, Jordan McErlean dominated the 125kg class, successfully lifting a 255kg squat, 165kg bench press and a 275kg deadlift for a 695kg total.
The event also featured powerhouse performances from guest lifters who set the bar high for the afternoon. Bogdan Nikolic produced the highest total of the day, moving 725kg, which included a 250kg squat, 175kg bench press and a 300kg deadlift.
Tony McInerney, president of Cayman Powerlifting, said, “The sport is growing worldwide, and we’re hoping to continue to keep it growing and keep the enthusiasm going.”
“We had some big numbers from some of the local athletes and for most of them, this was their first time competing. We’re hoping that they’ll continue with the sport and be able to represent Cayman in the upcoming North American Regional Powerlifting Championships in Canada this August.”
Final results of the competition:
Name Weight Class (KG) Awards Division Best Squat (KG) Best Bench (KG) Best Deadlift (KG) Destiny Cascante 67.5 Women’s Classic Raw Junior (20-23) 67.5 42.5 97.5 Arianna McCoy 75 Women’s Classic Raw Junior (20-23) 80 72.5 125 Thalia Naranjo 60 Women’s Classic Raw Open 67.5 40 102.5 Reuel Williams 100 Men’s Classic Raw Guest 232.5 132.5 240 Bogdan Nikolic 110 Men’s Classic Raw Guest 250 175 300 Kyle Bravo Hunter 125 Men’s Classic Raw Guest 210 125 230 Patrick Stewart 140+ Men’s Classic Raw Junior (16-17) 100 95 210 Bryan Cascante 82.5 Men’s Classic Raw Junior (20-23) 197.5 137.5 225 Brennen Vavra 82.5 Men’s Classic Raw Junior (20-23) 182.5 130 205 Michael Rhoden 90 Men’s Classic Raw Open 170 100 202.5 Lesley Chin 90 Men’s Classic Raw Open 135 112.5 207.5 Jordan McErlean 125 Men’s Classic Raw Open 255 165 275 Erick Faustino 125 Men’s Classic Raw Open 140 125 150 Kevin Winton 140 Men’s Classic Raw Open 175 115 215
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