Guyana will be departing this Friday for the seventh edition of the Pre-Cadet Caribbean Table Tennis Championships in Jamaica from July 21-24.
Going through some paces yesterday with the under-11 and under-13 players who will be a part of the contingent, Coach Linden Johnson shared his views about the team with Stabroek Sport at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
“I think we stand a good chance at the championships and these are the same players that did well in 2009 and you can definitely see the maturity.
“In fact, receiving feedback from Jamaica about the teams that will be there, I think we rank right at the top of the standings. In the under-11 category which will have some new players, we have a good chance because we have really good players that we have high expectations of so I think we are right there with the other teams,” Johnson said.
Countries such as the powerhouse Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago will be at the championships along with Barbados, French Guiana, St. Martin and Aruba, as well as the host country.
With only a few days left for the championships, preparations said Johnson, were in full effect especially with the closure of school for the summer vacation.
“Basically preparation for the team now is much more intense but before because of school we had to feel our way through as we were doing self-training in the mornings.
“Now things are more intense and we are getting that team spirit because we are training together and that is important,” Johnson stated.
Talking with some of the players preparing for the tournament, they said that they felt that they will be able to secure medals for their homeland but training was nothing close to being easy.
“I think I will be bringing back a medal, I had to make a lot of sacrifices to train hard so I know I will do well,” Kyle Edghill told Stabroek Sport of his chances and preparations.
Jamaali Homar also gave her views on her chances and insisted that she will be medaling, “training was hard work and a lot of dedication so I will bring back a medal,” she told Stabroek Sport.
“I had to push in a lot of hard work and I must get something out of it, so yeah I think I will bring a medal home,” Elishaba Johnson stated.
Meanwhile the team is expected to depart Guyana on Friday and return on the morning of July 26.
