TT team excited about their performances in Iran
By Leeron Brumell
Guyana Chronicle
December 10, 2003
GUYANA’S four-member contingent to the first Islamic solidarity Sports Federation Table Tennis Championships in Iran returned home elated, although not picking up any medals.
The team comprising youngsters Matthew Khan, Christopher Franklin, Paul Meusa and manager/coach Linden Johnson are excited about their performances at the highest level of competition.
The team, after being ranked 24th going into the championships, finished an overall fifth, ahead of some 30 other countries.
Meusa speaking to Chronicle Sport said that he was pleased with their work.
“I’m very elated right now and I know the guys are too because of our achievement. It was the first time we played in that part of the world and we finished in front of world rated countries.
I’m elated and so excited, I’m thrilled beyond belief.”
The tall player expects to put into practice what he has learnt from playing in the championships along with what he will be taught by Chinese coach Zhou Ping.
He says he is looking forward to a one-month stint in Brazil in January, which he knows will take him a far way.
Khan, just turned senior, feels that Guyana has a far way to go in table tennis.
“I’m happy with our placing but we have a far way to go because this is just the start. It was a great experience competing at that level and it was no easy task.
Everyone was satisfied with our results.
Khan too is scheduled to be in Brazil in January where he will be playing tennis at the Club level.
He said that he would be earning a salary there for the club Ulbra. He had earlier in the year been part of a three-week training stint in that country.
Manager/coach Linden Johnson opined that the team benefited much from the championships and is optimistic that it augurs well for the future.
He said discipline was shown when the players took to the table, as they are a young team.
“They are young, but they also achieved the aims they went for. They still need more work mentally and I hope the players will transfer what they learnt.”
Johnson added that the players were shown live in the country, as many persons had never heard of Guyana before. This he said was a plus for Guyana and the team.
Guyana was the only country from the South American continent and the Caribbean to participate in the championships.
The players lost to Iran in the quarterfinals of the team championships.
In the singles, Meusa failed to get past the first round, but Khan and Franklin were stopped in the second round of 64.
The players reached the round of 16 in the doubles category.
Countries such as Qatar, Syria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Tunisia, Kazakhstan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) participated in the championships.
Johnson was high in praise for the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), the National Sports Commission (NSC), the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports and the local tennis association for their part in making the tour a success.
The players received token and certificates for their participation.