Guyana’s table tennis Queen Chelsea Edghill just keeps on creating history for herself and her country.
From being the first Guyanese female player to ever win the U13 girls singles crown at the annual Caribbean TT championships in 2010 in Puerto Rico to winning the 21-years and under-title at the same championships in 2018 in the Dominican Republic, Edghill’s ambition and success knows no boundary.
She was also the first table tennis player to participate at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China in 2014.
Now the 23-year old Edghill is heading for Tokyo, Japan to compete in yet another Olympic Games.
Edghill will become the first Guyanese player male or female to participate at the Summer Olympic Games billed for July 25 to August 8 after she became a recipient of one the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) tripartite invitational spots.
According to Treasurer of the Guyana Olympic Association Garfield Wiltshire, The IOC and the International Table Tennis federation awarded only two such spots one male and one female for players from all over the world.
As such, Wiltshire is overjoyed with the selection which he feels is a testament to Edghill’s work ethic and performance.
Her selection, he said, is a tremendous boost for the sport in Guyana and the region.
Wiltshire, himself a former national table tennis player, said the Guyana Olympic Association had applied for six tripartite invitational spots.
He said Edghill’s performance at the recent Latin America singles and doubles Olympic Qualifiers in Rosario, Argentina and the fact that Edghill is the recipient of an IOC Olympic Solidarity Scholarship might have worked in her favour.
“Obviously the first table tennis player to ever represent Guyana at the Olympics will be a tremendous boost for table tennis in Guyana,” he declared.
Edgill last night told Stabroek Sport that she was elated to be given the tripartite spot adding that the hard work was paying off and that the right people were seeing her performances.
According to Edghill Guyana has come a long way in the sport.
“This one is as much a win for Guyana’s table tennis as it is for me,” she declared adding that she was proud to be the first table tennis player from Guyana to play at the Olympics.
She said that she plans to leave Guyana in the next two weeks for Europe where she plans to train extensively at one of the high level training centres in preparation for the games.
Edghill will have to be accompanied by a coach and she said that one has not yet been identified. She said that a decision will have to be made by all those concerned including the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) adding that ultimately, the decision will be left up to the association.
The GTTA also issued a statement on Edghill selection.
“Great achievement for us as a Table Tennis nation and fraternity. We are truly elated of the ITTF and IOC recognition of our player’s talent and country programmes in selecting Chelsea,” the GTTA stated.
“This is a win for Guyana’s Table Tennis. It’s a testimony to the talent, hard work (and) determination. The GTTA would like to express our gratitude to all who have contributed and to our members who continue to work hard and play despite the challenges.”
Guyana will now be represented by Aliyah Abrams, Edghill and swimmers Jamila Sanmoogan and Andrew Fowler. Edghill joins Caribbean TT players like the late Dexter St Louis of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaicans Keith Evans and Michael Hyatt who have participated at the Olympic Games.
St Louis, Hyatt and Evans all played at the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, USA in 1996.
St Louis also qualified and played at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.
