– 14-member team wings out today for Barbados
A well-outfitted Guyana contingent will depart these shores today for Barbados where they will take part in the fourth Pre-Cadet Table Tennis Tournament.
Brain Street Learning equipped the 14-member team with new track suits and according to the CEO of the company, Lance Hinds, they felt compelled to make the contribution because of the outstanding performances of junior teams at previous tournaments.
He affirmed their future support to the sport of table tennis, especially to the juniors because of the close relationship his business has with children.
“I believe that these youngsters will do well in Barbados and we will be sponsoring them in the future as well,” Hinds said.
This would be Guyana’s third outing at the tournament which first started in 2006 in Trinidad and Tobago.
At that competition, Guyana only sent four representatives who secured seven medals: two golds, two silvers, and three bronzes.
The following year the event was held in Santa Domingo and in 2008 in Puerto Rico but Guyana was not represented.
However, national coach Linden Johnson says that he believes that the team would do well based on the amount of tennis they have played this year.
Johnson who along with Colin France would be in charge of the team added that while expectations were high, he was a bit mindful of the Puerto Ricans who are considered the power house in the sport in the Caribbean at this level.
“We are looking for a clean sweep this year but I think the only team we have to worry about is Puerto Rico who as you know are very strong at the junior level but all in all I think the players seem very ready.
“I know that they are excited and I believe will come out successful,” Johnson said.
He also expressed gratitude: “We just want to say many thanks for Brain Street for their contribution and also we want to thank all the hard working parents who really did a lot for these youngsters. Also there are some businesses that chipped in like Medicine Chest, Demerara Timbers, Nigel’s Supermar-ket, Exclusive Styles, Pressy’s Enterprise, NP Electronics (Michael Vieira) and De Sinco Trading.”
General Secretary of the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) Godfrey Monroe also expressed his gratitude to corporate Guyana for their assistance to the team.
The squad reads:
10 years and under: Elishaba Johnson, Kyle Edghill, Ragif Muneshwar, Priscilla Greaves and Jamaali Homer.
13 years and under: Stefan Corlette, Jamaal Duff, Sunil Logan, Joseph Johnson, Chelsea Edghill, Olivier Weeks, and Akila Wiltshire.
Coaches: Johnson and France
