The future of Guyana’s table tennis will be on show as the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) hosts the National Junior and Cadet Championships from Friday (January 24) at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
It will be a three-day championship, with Friday being for both Boys and Girls Novices. That category serves off from 16:00h and will continue on Saturday.
Saturday will also mark the start of the Under-15 and Under-18 matches, with Sunday having finals from 14:00h.
A senior member of the GTTA has indicated that over 40 players have already registered and the full number will be known Thursday afternoon when deadline closes.
A certainty will be defending Under-15 and Under-18 champion, 13-year-old Jonathan Van Lange, who should face some stiff tests once again from nemesis Kaysan Ninvalle and Niran Bissu.
Ninvalle is a Caribbean Under-11 gold medallist, and has the pedigree for the championship title, but in the past, after taking a lead, he allows Van Lange back in with simple mistakes.
The multi-talented Bissu is known to be a solid player, but will know he has his work cut out ahead of him if he is to bag a title.
Let’s not forget Krystian Sahadeo, who formed the quartet that contested in the Under-18 semi-finals last time.
There will be other title contenders in Jamal Nicholas, Isaiah Layne, Yeudistir Persaud and Terrence Rausch and possibly 2018 champion Nickolas Romain.
Under-13 players Colin Wong and Malachi Moore will fancy their chances of capturing the Under-15 title, but Van Lange will be in their way.
Over in the Girls division, defending champion, Thuraia Thomas, will more than likely face off with Titans Table Tennis Club teammate Neveah Clarkston for both titles.
Generally, the gap the duo has over competitors at this level is big, but her fellow club members have been consistently improving and therefore Jasmine Billingy, Akira Watson and Samara Sukhai should not be taken for granted.
These championships are being held to select Team Guyana for the regional event to held April in the Dominican Republic. The National Senior Championships will be held from January 31 to February 2 at the Sports Hall.
