Table tennis fans (including those who follow the game closely and those who have just a cursory interest) and even the players themselves, have struggled with the dilemma of knowing just exactly who are the country’s champions.
Those questions will finally be answered over the course of the next two weeks as the long-awaited National TT championships sponsored by the National Sports Commission (NSC) serves off this afternoon at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
The championships will get underway with the registration of players from 4pm, followed by a short programme chaired by treasurer of the GTTA, Joel Wilburg, where the Minister of Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, will be the featured speaker.
President of the GTTA, Anil Nandalall and general secretary, Godfrey Munroe, are also down to make brief remarks after which the rapid-fire sound of ball hitting rackets will take sway.
There are a number of interesting match-ups in almost all the categories but those involving Trenace Lowe and Michelle John will undoubtedly take centre stage.
It is common knowledge that Lowe and John are two of the most electrifying female players of the sport.
They have proved this individually and collectively, locally and internationally.
A national title is one of the most prestigious honours a player can acquire in any sport.
And, with a number of titles at stake John and Lowe have put aside their friendship and are pressing forward towards claiming what could be a lengthy chain of titles.
They both are focusing on the unprecedented feat of capturing three national singles crowns in one year and are each other’s worst nightmares.
Neither player, it seems, will back down despite the fear of getting their heart’s broken this Valentine’s Day.
Adding more tension to the ‘girl power’ rivalry is that both players have been trying to balance their academic endeavours while playing the sport.
Lowe, the 2006 Junior Sportswoman-of-the-Year, is currently preparing for the Caribbean Secondary Exam-ination Council (CSEC) examinations.
She said that she had only been able to train three times per week as the sessions sometimes clashed with her lessons.
John, who is currently pursing a degree in Spanish at the University of Guyana, was forced to cut back to four days a week at the beginning of the semester.
John, the 2004 and 2005 Junior Sportswoman-of-the-year, said that she was anxious to play at the 2008 `Nationals’ as she longed to claim another national title.
“I am glad that they brought back Nationals this year and I really like that there are more categories for me to play in. I can barely remember the last time it was held, but l do remember that I defeated Trenace in the U-11 but she won the under-9 and under-13 titles so I will be playing to get my revenge by getting three titles this year,” John said confidently.
Lowe admitted that John was her biggest competition but said that she had no fear as she knows what it takes to win.
“People may say a lot of things before the match but the bottom line is that I always go out there to win regardless of the circumstances and I know that my game will do the talking this weekend.” Lowe said.
Ever since former Caribbean men’s singles champion Sydney Christophe departed these shores for the USA the question of who is Guyana’s best men’s player has aroused heated debates.
In fact, Christophe left with the men’s singles title having defeated Godfrey Munroe the last time the championships were held in 2001.
He will not be here to defend his title and a host of pretenders have their eyes on ascending the throne and being crowned TT `King’ when the tournament climaxes on February 28.
They include Munroe, Dwain Dick, Colin France, Andrew Daly, Edinho Lewis, Paul Meusa, Christopher Franklyn and Hewley Griffith.
While the men’s and women’s singles will attract the most attention, the championships will also see champions crowned in categories from eight years and under to 55-years and over, a change from previous championships.
