Henry Phillips

During the first half of the 1970s Henry Phillips won multiple weightlifting medals in competitions in both his native Panama and across Central America. Phillips competed as a heavyweight, with his first success coming at the 1970 Central American and Caribbean Games, winning silver in both the press and snatch, along with bronze in the total and clean & jerk. That same year he won gold at the Bolivarian Games in the press, as well as silver for the total of three lifts. After a top-five finish at the 1971 Pan American Games, Phillips was selected to compete at the 1972 München Olympics. His performance at the Games, however, was disappointing, finishing 23rd out of the 26 athletes who competed.

Despite this, Phillips went on to win three golds at the 1973 Bolivarian Games and three silvers at the 1974 Central American and Caribbean Games. After retiring from active competition, he worked for the Panamanian Weightlifting Federation, chairing the organisation from 2019 to 2022. In 2009 the Panamanian Sports Institute bestowed Phillips with the Manuel Roy Order, one of the highest sporting awards in the country.