Guyanese racquet wielders hunt gold in Venezuela
-Latin American Table Tennis C'ships
By Clyde Pestano
Stabroek News
May 15, 2004
A zestful and enthusiastic 11-member contingent of Guyanese racquet-wileders and one official left yesterday for neighbouring Venezuela seeking gold in the Latin America Juveniles under 18 and under-21 table tennis championships.
The team, which is being coached/managed by Linden Johnson, includes four females: Michelle John, Trenace Lowe, Delicia Cummings and Jody Ann Blake and six males: Matthew Khan, Christopher Franklin, Zach Gonsalves, Jonathan Sankar, Marlon Joseph and Orin Hickerson.
The youngsters will be competing in team competitions and individual singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.
Ten countries including the hosts, Colombia, El Salvador, Peru, Guatemala, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico and the locals will vie for top honours during the competition which begins tomorrow and concludes one week later.
Coach Johnson told Stabroek Sport that he is expecting a solid all-round performance from the entire team. According to Johnson, this is a very good opportunity for the youngsters to put to use the knowledge and skills taught them by the Chinese coach attached to the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) Zhou Ping.
He added that they are both mentally and physically prepared for what will be a gruelling tournament to be played both day and night.
Owen John, president of the GTTA, opined that table tennis is in very good stead especially with the current young crop of players. He disclosed that most of the players were partly sponsored and lamented the fact that sponsorship these days is very hard to come by.
John related that only recently he approached a sponsor and was told that it was the duty of the government to provide for athletes especially when they are going overseas to represent the country.
The president said that the players need all the support they can get from the powers that be, since over the last couple of years they have turned in some outstanding performances in regional competitions and even farther afield.
John said that the attachment of a Chinese coach to assist table tennis in Guyana was a worthwhile investment which has already started to pay dividends and the sport is set to continue on an upward trend. He added though, that it is vital that the young players get sustained support in order to mature into better players when they reach the senior level.
Matthew Khan an up and coming young player told this newspaper that he will try his best and give 100 % when he takes to the floor. He added that all the Guyanese players have been training hard and expects very good results from them. Khan said that the young women in the team stand a good chance of bringing home gold medals since they have improved by leaps and bounds of late.
Michelle John, who won four medals in Cuba last year (two silver and two bronze) told Stabroek Sport that her preparations went well for the competition and has promised to bring back two gold medals. She said that she has learnt quite a lot from the Chinese coach and will put her best foot forward to make Guyanese proud by beating the opposition.
Sydney Christophe, general secretary of the GTTA, told Stabroek Sport that the team should hold its own among the best at the competition. He added though that they should remain focused and expects them to do well and make their country proud.
Those making the trip yesterday are (Under-21 males) Khan, Christopher Franklyn, Orin Hickerson, (Under-18 boys) Jonathan Sankar, Zach Gonsalves and Marlon Joseph and Delicia Cummings, Jody Ann Blake, Delicia Cummings, Michelle John and Trenace Lowe (Under-21 and Under-18 girls).
Meanwhile overall team coach Godfrey Munroe, delegate Annette Lowe and Under-18 player Edinho Lewis did not leave with the team yesterday. The three are scheduled to depart on Monday for the championships.