A junior national table tennis contingent is set to depart Guyana Monday for the Dominican Republic to contest the 2019 Caribbean Mini and Pre-cadet championships from August 19-27.
The squad, which includes a cadre of Guyana’s top junior players, including the rampant Jonathan Van Lange and Jasmine Billingy, will be coached by Dwain Dick with assistance from Colin France.
Dick, who last coached the side three years ago in Jamaica, told Stabroek Sports that the squad is composed of some of the best juniors Guyana has ever produced and he expects them to do well in Santa Domingo.
“I think we are capable of securing a few singles and team medals despite not being able to field a girls’ Under 13 team,” he said.
“The preparation by our players were really good and I think we will get a good performance,” he added.
Harping on the prospects of the hugely talented Under – 13 bunch, all of whom have been working with him since their introduction to the sport, Dick was even more upbeat about their chances of coming away with top honours.
“All the under-13 guys have been under my tutelage from their introduction into the sport. You can say they have some amount of pedigree, based on past performances… Kristian is a World Hopes qualifier… Jonathan [Van Lange] and Kristina [Sahadeo] won a silver medal in the Under – 11 boys doubles category in 2016.
“They all have team medals at boys team 11 years and under category,” the Titans Table Tennis Coach pointed out.
A lot will be expected of Van Lange who earlier in the year, mopped up three junior national titles (Under – 13, 15, and 18).
Sahadeo and Wong are also quite capable players. Billingy, on the other hand, is undisputedly one of Guyana’s brightest prospects. A good showing at this year’s championships should do wonders for her career moving forward.
Moore, who is already in the Dominican Republic, participating in the World Hopes Youth Camp will get an opportunity to test some of what he learnt from the coaches there at the championships.
The team, over the past month, has been engaged in regular training sessions, including morning and individual sessions to polish off their preparations.
The squad reads:
Under – 11 Boys: Malachi Moore and Ebo McNeil
Under – 11 Girls: Jasmine Billingy, Samara Sukhai, and Akira Watson
Under – 13 Boys: Jonathan Van Lange, Krystian Sahadeo, Colin Wong, and Dhanesh Persaud
