The 2011 edition of the National Table Tennis Championships scheduled to bounce off on December 9 will see a number of national players vying for supremacy during the course of the tournament.
While the venue of the tournament is tentative due to the ongoing reconstruction of the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH), one athlete Nigel Bryan will be seeking to defy the odds by participating in the under-18, under-21, and men’s singles categories along with the junior doubles, junior mixed doubles and men’s doubles competitions as well.
The under-18 and under-21 national champion who has earned the right to be named the most dominant junior in Guyana today is beaming with confidence ahead of the tournament.
“My training is coming along good, I’m trying to stay fit so when the time comes I’ll be ready,” Bryan told Stabroek Sport via telephone.
Speaking about his readiness to participate with the ‘top dogs’ in the men’s singles Bryan told Stabroek Sport, “I will go out there playing strong to do my best and come out on top, I have the heart to go out against them and win it,” he commented.
National player Hewley Griffith who is always a constant feature in the top eight finishers in the men’s singles category for various tournaments will look to rise to the top of the local table tennis world when the senior aspect of the tournament commences on December 14.
“Well basically I’m pretty confident as usual. I was a part of a Malteenoes super-16 tournament last week and I got third so I’m confident but my preparations right now are a lot of physical and fitness work, a bit of table work but not much at the moment.
“Hopefully, I also want to attend the RMSL super singles tournament in Trinidad a week before Nationals so that should serve as a good warm-up for me as well,” Griffith told Stabroek Sport yesterday via telephone.
Paul Meusa also known as the ‘Dark Horse’ in the local table tennis arena will be in with a good chance of winning the tournament, especially with the type of form he showcased in the Caribbean Championships earlier in the year.
“Well right now I’m still in the fitness phase doing little table work but I plan to step up the table work in the next three weeks…my fitness is important and coming out of an athletic season I think will only improve my chances of winning and hopefully I win it, they don’t call me the dark horse for nothing,” Meusa told Stabroek Sport via telephone.
Also in with a good chance of winning the tournament is Andrew Daly who recently made his return to competitive table tennis after a two-year stoppage due to a shoulder problem. However, efforts to reach the recently crowned Inter-Organization singles champion proved futile.
