10 countries confirmed for Caribbean TT Champs

Ten countries will match strokes, spin and strategy when the Caribbean Region Table Tennis Championships begin at the National Arena on September 23. Confirmed to compete are Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Antigua and Barbuda, Martinique, Barbados and host team Jamaica. With preparations going well, Table Tennis Jamaica president Godfrey Lothian is hoping the Jamaican team will match his prediction of bronze medal winning placements in the team events.

According to information received from the local table tennis federation, the men's team will be national champion Simon Tomlinson, former national champions Kane Watson and Christopher Marsh and experienced Alphanso Morris. The women's team is Solesha Young, Daydron Lewis, Brittany Murray and Kelsey Davidson.

Lothian expects they will do well. "I am looking for a third place from both teams", he said confidently. "That is my hope at this time that we get the third place in both genders", he emphasized. Noting that the women's team is composed of youngsters, Lothian noted that last year's third place finish, saying, "Brittany Murray was a part of it, Solesha was a part of it, Daydron was not there but they really performed and I think these girls are going to step up to the plate and give us the third place."

He explained that current women's national champion Yvonne Foster isn't available. "She is now doing her masters and she is really tied up with that at this time", he reported, "and therefore we will get her back in training after she is finished her masters."

All four of the female players selected are schoolgirls and Young, national under 13 and 15 champion, and Davidson, 2016 Caribbean Region under 11 silver medallist, are just 14 and 13 years old.

The overseas teams will start arriving on Friday. Cuba, the host country of the event last year, is not among the list of confirmed countries.