The names are in but the one that is missing in the men’s category is the name of the most decorated Guyanese table tennis player in recent history.
The Guyana Table Tennis Association (GGTA) has shortlisted a squad of 12 senior male and four senior women’s players along with six under-21 male and five under-21 female players for the 51st staging of the annual under-21, seniors and veterans Caribbean championships scheduled for French Guiana next month.
But missing from the 12 player shortlist in the men’s category is former Caribbean `King’ and many times national men’s singles champion Sydney Christophe.
General Secretary of the GTTA and current national men’s singles champion, Godfrey Munroe, said yesterday that Christophe had indicated at the 2006 Caribbean championships that he was not interested in playing in the team events and had only played in the Open men’s singles and over-40 events.
As such, Munroe said, the southpaw has been named on the four player shortlist for the Over-40 event.
The squad also includes overseas-based Paul David and top players Idi Lewis, Christopher Franklyn, Matthew Khan, Colin France, Dwayne Dick, and Andrew Daly.
The women’s team will be strengthened by the inclusion of former Caribbean junior girls’ champion Michelle John.
John is on a four-year scholarship to Lindenwood University, St Charles, Missouri, USA but has indicated her availability during the period that the championships will be staged.
“Michelle has indicated that at the time of the championships she will be out of semester,” Munroe said.
The championships will be staged from July 20-26 and teams are expected to arrive on July 19 and depart on July 26.
The tournament will be played at the Hall Depart-mental Georges Donzenac and the tournament is open to all countries affiliated to the Caribbean Table Tennis Fed-eration.
The final touring party should consist of four senior male, four senior female, one male player U-21, one female player U-21, two coaches and one delegate.
All members of the official delegation will be charged 30 USD per day. Any person extra will pay 65 USD per day. Participation covers meals accommodation and transportation in French Guiana.
Events to be contested include the Men’s team, Women’s team, Men’s singles, Women’s singles, Men’s doubles, Women’s doubles, Mixed doubles, U-21 male & female singles and veterans over 40.
There will be a technical meeting on July 19 at which the draws for the team event will be done.
Yellow balls will be used for the championships and there will be racket testing as well as random samples as part of a regional anti-doping campaign. The players will need Yellow Fever vaccines as that is a mandatory requirement to enter French Guiana!
The squad shortlisted is: (men’s) Christopher Franklin, Colin France, Idi Lewis, Paul Meusa, Andrew Daly, Edinho Lewis, Hewley Griffith, Gibran Hussein, Godfrey Munroe, Matthew Khan, Paul Meusa and Paul David.
Women: Trenace Lowe, Natalie Cummings, Jody Ann Blake and Michelle John.
Over- 40 males, Colin France, Sydney Christophe Ray Anderson and Marlon Washington.
The 21 and under boys named are Joel Alleyne, Nigel Bryan, Denzel Hopkinson, Warren Hackshaw, Darwin Walcott and Dwayne Gibson while the 21 and under girls named are Lowe, Adielle Rosheuvel, Chelsea Edghill, Akiecia Nedd and Ambrose Thomas.
The players are asked to attend a meeting at 5.30 pm today at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
