The team assembled at Heathrow terminal 4, for our 10 hours flight to India with one of the largest team to represent GBR at a World Championships in a long time, 12 lifters, 2 coach, referee, manager and supporters 20 in all. During checking I was asked to see our Visa’s, this was when it was discovered that the documents from the promoter that I believe was a group Visa was not and in fact we all needed to have individual Visa. What expired from then can only explain as my worse nightmare, because been weekend all the embassy were closed. GBPF decided to book everyone into a hotel close to the airport and try to see what we could do the next day.
During the evening Jaswinder Singh made a number of phone calls to friends to see if it would be possible to obtained emergency Visa’s, next morning one of his friend phone to say that if we get to the Embassy in London before 2pm someone would see us and if we explain to them what had happen there is a chance they would grant us emergency Visa’s, we all jump on the underground but when we got there they would not come out and speak to us. The problem further multiply when we found out that the Embassy would not open until Tuesday because Monday was an Indian bank holiday, with Tuesday the earliest we could apply meant we would not get the visa’s until late Thursday afternoon. The airline agree to rebook Ben Banks, Dean Bowring, Andy Thompson plus the management team on the 8.30pm flight on Thursday providing we managed to get the Visa’s in time. I would like to say a special thanks to the Golf air staffs they ware very helpful.
The rest of the team decided they would not go because they ware going to missed their classes, Arthur explain to everyone that GBPF would refund them for the trip. With great disappointment everyone decided to make there way home. On Tuesday myself, Arthur, Jaswinder and Arun meet at 8.30am in Birmingham to apply for the Visa’s for myself, Arun, Dean and Andy while at the same time Tony Steven and Ben Banks was applying at the Embassy in London. After 2 hours wait at one office we were told we must go to another office, we got there to find about 100 people waiting, after waiting about 3 hours we managed to get the applications process we ware told they would be ready to collect at about 1pm on Thursday. With our flight booked for 8.30pm it would give everyone time to get to the airport on time, Jaswinder and Arun went to the office at 1pm to collect them and pick me up at Arthur Hoey on the way to the airport, Jaswinder phone to say all the Visa’s was ready except Andy Thompson there was a problem with his application and it won’t be ready until 3.30pm he also say Ben and Tony got their visa and was on there way to the airport, Dean and Andy was also making there way to the airport. He finally got the visa at about 3.45pm by the time we got away it was about 4pm which leave us 2 ½ hours to get to Heathrow through heavy evening traffic; Arun drive like Jason Button to get us there on time.
The flight took off on time after a short stop in Bahrain we arrive in New Delhi Friday afternoon at 1.30pm local time, with some hell raising driving through heavy traffic with horns blazing we arrive at our hotel shaking with fright, I check the team in and we then grab a taxi to try and find the venue which we were told was on the other side of the city 1 ½ hour later we got there just in time to see the victory ceremony for the 110Kg category, a quick check around the venue and it was back in the taxi to our hotel. The weigh in next morning for Ben class was at 7am we arranged a taxi for 5.30am because we ware not sure how long it would take to get to the venue, sorry to say more trouble 10 minutes into the journey we had a puncher but thankful he managed to change the tyre and get us there with time to spare.
Ben decided to be very conservative with his opener went 300, 317.5 PB miss 322.5, Bench 235, missed 250 got it on his third, D/Lift 310, 325 went 332.5 for a 900Kg total but missed it to finish with 892.5Kg considered all the problem it was an excellent total.
Next up was Andy and Dean, Andy went first open with a comfortable 330, then 350, missing 365, Bench open with 270 unable to control it on his chest, we increase to 275 but he missed it twice although I think he was unlucky on his third, it was very disappointing for Andy because he was going well in training did 280 for double two weeks before, D/Lift 310, 320 decided not to take his third. I’m sure Andy will do a big total at the European.
Dean open with 385,then 400, finish with a strong 410, Bench 275, 285, 290 for a 700Kg sub total which put him in third place behind the Czech with 720Kg and the Russian with 725Kg it was going to be a straight shootout for the gold between those three, With Dean the lighter of the three and has the bigger D/lift put him in the driving seat because all we needed to do is cover what ever they take, the Czech open with 305 for a 1025, the Russian take 307.5 for 1032.5, Dean open with 330 to put him 2.5 behind the Russian, the Czech went 315 for his second to go 1040, the Russian then take 320 for 1045, Dean take 345 for a 1045 to go level with the Russian but in the lead on lighter bodyweight, the Czech took 322.5 to finish on 1042.5 and the lead, the Russian posted 327.5 for is third so we posted 352.5 to cover him, at the last moment the Russian coach try to get a jump on Dean by increasing to 330 to give him a 1055 total in my opinion he did not finish it but the referee gave him the down signal , we cover him with 355 this was Dean day to become world champion he pull it sweet as a nut for a 9 for 9 and 1055 Total to beat the Russian on bodyweight and become the first supper heavy Powerlifting world champion for Great Britain, apart from been crown champion he also got Bronze on the Bench and Gold on the D/Lift for a perfect day lifting . It has taken Dean over 20 years of hard work with lots of disappointment on the way to achieve his ultimate gold. It was a fitting end to a week that started disastrous.
After some team photos and a few beers to celebrate Dean Achievement, it was time to go to the banquet which was stage in the golden of a very posh hotel, after the awards we enjoy 2 ½ hours of Indian dancing at the end everyone join the dancers on stage for a good old knees up. Next morning we were due to be at the airport at 6am for our flight back to London, most of us did not bother to go to bed because our taxi was due at 3.45am.
Arrive back at Heathrow at 2.30pm and the end of one of the most eventful week in Powerlifting for me. I must give special thanks to a number of people, Jaswinder Singh for his tiles work helping to obtain Visa’s, Arun Singh for been a tower of strength and Arthur Hoey for taking control at the airport when I was totally destroyed about what had happened.
Once again I would like to say sorry to all those denied the opportunity to go to the world championships and also sorry to the GBPF for the inconvenienced it caused.
Ralph Farquharson
Team Manager