A couple of years ago, there was a lot of hype surrounding Kaysan Ninvalle; he was one of Guyana’s most exciting junior table tennis players who copped Caribbean honours, winning the Caribbean under – 11 title in Jamaica during 2016.
But recently, he somehow faded into the shadows of another immensely talented player in the form of Jonathan Van Lange who first tested and then eclipsed the Caribbean champ on the local scene.
Ninvalle is by no means a shabby player, he just hasn’t dug deep enough when he comes up against his new nemesis in Van Lange who possess an evangelical zeal when he’s on the table.
Van Lange in 2019, swept the Guyana Table Tennis Association’s (GTTA) championships, winning the under 13, 15, and 18 championships – disposing of Ninvalle and others en route to his capturing his crowns.
He became the face of Guyana’s junior table tennis and certainly wore a target on his back although the failure of the national team to tour saw him representing the Guyana national U15 cricket team instead.
The two will renew their exciting confrontation on the table when the GTTA national junior table tennis championship gets underway tomorrow at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).
The championships will hold significance for a number of reasons but for Ninvalle, many are hoping that he can rediscover his spark.
Van Lange, on the other hand, who has been working overtime to defend his crowns, will face hostility from those who will challenge him to land on the apex of junior national table tennis.
Colin Wong, Krystian Sahadeo and Dhanesh Persaud are among a consortium of junior boys who could push the envelope to capture the under – 15 title. The under – 18 boys matchup is another category to watch out for and should present fans with a treat.
Alongside the names previously mentioned, the presence of Jamal Nicholas, Niran Bissu, Terrence Rausch and Isaiah Layne will test the resolve of Van Lange.
Meanwhile, in the girls’ category, Thuraia Thomas, who like Van Lange swept the 2019 edition of the tournament, is once again the clear favourite.
Her development and growth as a player puts her ahead of the likes of Neveah Clarkson, Crystal Melville and Abigail Martin while pre cadet junior in Jasmine Billingy, Akira Watson, and Samara Sukhai will participate to enhance their individual development.
