Over 100 table tennis players from Region Three schools flocked the Westminster Secondary School auditorium on the West Bank of Demerara to compete for top honours when the Region 3 Edition of the CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited/Guyana Table Tennis Association/Ministry of Education/Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Nationwide National Schools Table Tennis Championships got underway on last Friday.
Of those 100 students, forty were girls who competed in the various categories and showed a glimpse of talent that bodes well with respect to prospects for the development of the sport in the region.
Competing in the 13 years and under boys and girls team events, 15 years and under boys and girls team events and 19 years and under team events, Uitvlugt Secondary, Zeeburg Secondary, West Demerara Secondary and Westminster Secondary dominated the respective categories.
Coaches Muniram Persaud and Joseph Lovell provided structured coaching to the students through the Ministry of Education’s priority programme and it showed as the students were impressive during the competition.
National Table Tennis Coach Linden Johnson, Alister Munroe, Candacy Mc Kenzie and Beverly Johnson coordinated the event and had hands-on support from the teachers who came to supervise and support the students.
In the Girls 13 Years and under final, Uitvlugt “B” defeated Zeeburg “A” to take championship honours. The same school, under Uitvlugt “B” also defeated another group, Uitvlugt “C” to take the Boys 13 Years and Under title.
Over in the Girls 15 Years and under category, Zeeburg “A” defeated Uitvlugt “B” in the final while West Demerara defeated Uitvlugt “B” in the Boys final of that age group,
In the Girls 19 Years and under segment, Uitvlugt “A” defeated Zeeburg “A” in the finals to take championships honours The next edition of the championships is slated for Region 7 on October 3 and 4 at the Bartica Community Centre where another large batch of students are expected to participate.
