Caribbean Under-13 champion Chelsea Edghill is the spearhead of a 15 member Guyana junior table tennis team which left yesterday morning for the sixth annual Caribbean Junior and Cadet championships in Puerto Rico.
Though she will not be defending the title she won last year, hopes are high that Edghill will be able to replicate the feat in her first year in the Under-15 division.
General secretary of the GTTA Godrey Munroe said the association was expecting a couple of medals despite the fact that the competition would be relatively stiff.
Edghill left a bit under a cloud having undergone therapy for a leg injury but Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) officials were optimistic that she will be able to secure another medal.
President of the GTTA Henry Greene last night told Stabroek Sport that he wished the team well and that he hoped they “Do us honours.”
Greene said he knows that the competition will be stiff but added that the GTTA was looking forward to the results.
Also in the team is national Under-18 champion Nigel Bryan who will spearhead that team ‘s quest for team honours in what is his final year in the division.
Bryan will receive support from overseas-based Brad Belle, national Under-15 champion Denzel Duff and southpaw Denzil Hopkinson.
Bryan and Hopkinson had won a bronze medal in the boys doubles at last year’s championships while Duff and Hopkinson won the men’s doubles at this year’s Mashramani competition.
Caribbean Under-13 silver medallist Jamaal Duff will lead the Under-15 boys quest for team and individual glory.
Last year Duff reached the final of the boys’ Under-13 event losing to World Hopes player Bryan Afanador of Puerto Rico.
Like Edghill, Duff has moved up to the Under-15 division where he will be supported by the much improved Sunil Logan along with the talented Joseph Johnson and up and coming Stefan Corlette.
Munroe said that Bryan and a few of the other players should excel but added that some of the other players were relatively new to the tournament and as such it would be a learning experience for them.
He thanked the sponsors and parents who have partnered with the GTTA in making the tournament a reality.
Edghill, who this year was voted Junior Sportswoman of the year will be supported in the Under-15 category by Olivia Weekes, Kristie Lopes, Anna Joao Jewell Todd while overseas-based Saskeia Chung who was a member of the girls Under-18 team last year will also be in action.
A number of seasoned players are unable to make the trip because of upcoming examinations and they include Adielle Rosheuvel, who last year participated in a tournament in Singapore, Akecia Nedd and Ambrose Thomas.
The team will be managed by GTTA member Deidre Edghill and will include a management team of five officials comprising Anne Joao, mother of Anna, Marsha Vyphuis and Head Coach Sydney Christophe who will be supported by national player Christopher Franklyn.
Greene said he was very happy that the team was able to make it to the championships which he said was due to the support he received from sponsors.
Greene told Stabroek Sport that through his initiative, he was able to acquire sponsorship for five members of the current team.
“Five members of the current team were sponsored through the efforts of the GTTA,” he declared.
Other teams participating in this year’s Championships include St. Kitts, Barbados, St. Lucia, Jamaica, Trinidad, Haiti, Curacao, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Guyana will be looking to better the bronze medals they won in both the boys and girls 18 years and under.
