National coach pleased with table tennis performances
By Leeron Brumell
Guyana Chronicle
February 25, 2004
NATIONAL table tennis coach, Linden Johnson, has expressed pleasure at the good level of tennis played in the just concluded National Sports Commission (NSC)-sponsored Mashramani tournament at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Johnson said he was particularly impressed with Michelle John, Central American and Caribbean junior number two seed, who defeated the experienced and former women’s champion Bertnell Richards to take the women’s singles.
He said that it was a great improvement as she is still a junior and was able to make that big step to the senior level.
John also won a number of tiles in the junior department.
He also gave notable mention of other juniors such as Zach Gonsalves, Raymond Baksh and Jonathan Sankar.
Johnson, who is employed as a sports officer within the NSC, said that the players all made great improvements.
The tournament attracted about 150-160 entries, but just around 100 players competed in over 15 categories ranging from Under-9 for boys and girls to men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
The tournament which was declared open by Director of Sports Neil Kumar last Wednesday culminated with the final in every division on Sunday at the same venue.
The cost to stage the event was between $125 000 and $140 000, which accounted for balls for the tournament and trophies and prizes that will be presented today.
Kumar, along with Chairman of the NSC Laurie Lewis, is expected to present the prizes to the various winners at 16:00 hrs at the same venue.
Meanwhile, Johnson and the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) will now turn their attention to the continuation of the Optimum/Ameri-Source-sponsored Two-Player tournament that is being contested in Berbice, Linden and Georgetown.
The tournament is expected to conclude in April with the final to be staged in Berbice.
Johnson noted that at the end of the tournament, the GTTA would be meeting to shortlist senior and junior squads to commence training for regional and international competitions.
Johnson too disclosed that they are awaiting word as regards a four-day workshop that should be held in Bartica along with the Chinese coaching staff.
He said that the workshop is a part of the association’s outreach programme for the year.