Trinidad and Tobago men’s table tennis team, led by 65-year-old Dave Mahabir defeated Guyana 3-0 in their third place playoff at the
58th senior Caribbean Table Tennis Championships in the Dominican Republic to qualify for the Pan American Table Tennis Championships.
Mahabir, a former national champion of the twin-island republic, defeated Guyana’s Nigel Bryan 11-6, 14-12, 11-7 while Yuvraaj Dookram edged Shemar Britton in 3-2 winning 14-12, 11-8, 6-11, 7-11, 11-5 before Trinidad wrapped up the match with Arun Roopnarine edging Elishaba Johnson 7-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-5, 11-9 in another five setter.
Guyana men’s team had earlier lost their group clash 2-3 to the Dominican Republic which meant they played Puerto Rico in the semi-finals.
In their semi-final clash Britton lost to Puerto Rico’s number one Hector Berrios 7-11, 8-11 and 9 11 before Britton defeated Gustavo Gonzalez 11-3, 11-9, 9-11 and 11-6 to level the match.
Johnson gave Guyana the lead by beating Luis Echivarria 11-9, 11-8, 10-12 and 11-9 but Puerto Rico levelled the match when Britton went under to Berrios 0-3.
In the deciding match Bryan was beaten by Gonzalez, 7-11, 10-12 and 9-11.
The Guyanese players will now look to the doubles play to secure medals but Britton and Bryan are up against the top seeds Emil Santos and Samuel Galvez of the Dominican Republic while Kyle Edghill and Johnson have a much easier tie coming up against Omarie Ferdinand and Adrian Albert of St Lucia in the first round.
Britton, Johnson and Edghill are also down to contest the U21 singles.
Britton is in group two along with Roopnarine Trinidad and Tobago, Mariano Lockward of the Dominican Republic and Kristian Doughty of Barbados while Johnson is in group three with Tyrese Knights of Barbados, Glen Smith of the Dominican Republic and Samuel Delepne.
Kyle Edghill is grouped with Luis Echivarria of Puerto Rico, Jose Toribo of the Dominican Republic and Andrew Daniels of St Lucia.
