Although the male and female individual titles have already been won by Shawn Simpson of Barbados and Guyanese Nicolette Fernandes, the team component of the 2008 Cellink Plus Southern Caribbean Squash Championships was officially opened yesterday.
According to President of the Guyana Squash Association (GSA) Ronald Burch-Smith, some of the players who were registered for the team event had not arrived in time for the start of play in the individual tournament which began on Monday.
Burch-Smith said that the opening ceremony was pushed back to the beginning of the team event so as to accommodate all participating players of the tournament.
Director of Sport Neil Kumar welcomed all the teams to Guyana in his brief remarks and urged all of the visiting delegations to experience the fullness of the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) during their stay in Guyana.
Kumar also commended the executives of the GSA for hosting such a prestigious regional tournament.
“I must commend the president of the Guyana Squash Association for successfully hosting this tournament here in Guyana. The GSA is one of the best administered sports organizations in the country, it is the most accountable, transparent and all the parents and everyone are involved in developing the greatest asset in our land, our young people,” Kumar said.
Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) has exclusively sponsored the tournament under its cellular division Cellink Plus.
And, Wystan Robertson, Marketing Director, said that GT&T and GSA have a very fruitful and productive relationship and they are pleased to once again collaborate with them for the hosting of the tournament.
Earlier in the day, Barbados and Trinidad claimed victories in the men’s team event against Venezuela and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) by margins of 3-2 and 4-1 respectively.
In the Veteran category, Guyana defeated Trinidad and Tobago 3-2.
Team Guyana was able to savour victory through key victories from over-60 competitor Louis Narian and over-40 competitors Brendon Mounter and Denise Jeffrey.
Jeffrey, Mounter and Narain disposed of their opponents 3-0.
The tournament continues today and is scheduled to conclude tomorrow at 6pm at the same venue.
