‘Jamaica’s TT will soon be back in the limelight’

Jamaica’s table tennis will soon be back in the limelight. That’s the view of Stephen Grant, a director of the Kingston and St Andrew Table Tennis Association (KSATTA). He made the comment after play by youngsters at the KSATTA Men’s B Open last Saturday at Excelsior High School caught his eye.

Speaking after the final, Grant explained: “What I saw from the youngsters today is the passion to participate, the passion to play the game again, so we can now say to everyone, we are seeing progress and we just want to harness that corps in the right and proper way and we should be back in the limelight very soon.”

The title went to Adeniyi Akindele, a Nigerian living in Jamaica, who ran through the event without dropping a set. Representing Supersonics Table Tennis Club, Akindele beat David White of the Barbican Terrace Table Tennis Club 11-5, 11-2, 11-2 in the final. “Winning this tournament is just the tip of the iceberg. This is the motivation for me for upcoming tournaments,” the champion said.

The winner and the runner-up often practise together. “To an extent, I understand his game, so I know what to do at a particular time, but big up David, he played well,” Akindele graciously said.

“I thought I knew what I needed to do to beat him. Never worked today, but we will meet again,” White, once a member of a champion team at Wolmer’s’ Boys’ School, said.

He had to face the fast Nigerian just moments after a tough semi-final, which he won 12-10, 9-11, 13-11, 11-9 against Curtis Dehaney.

“I went into the final about five minutes after, still breathing hard from the semi-finals, but nonetheless, as Ade said, we play together all the time,” White added.

Grant was happy for two reasons. First, some of the young players there showed promise. White edged past 2019 Caribbean Mini and Pre-Cadet mixed doubles bronze medallist Matthew Fung 9-11, 13-11, 11-7, 14-12 in the quarter-finals; and Brian Blake bested young prospect Christopher Lyn 3-1 to meet Akindele in the semi-finals.

Second, Jamaica’s 10-medal 2022 Caribbean Mini and Pre-Cadet Championship team came straight to Excelsior on arrival from Guyana.

“I was pleased to see the guys leaving the airport to come by to support their friends who were playing here. When I saw the guys coming to cheer on their friends, it brought back the days when I used to watch (Roberto) Byles and (Keith) Evans here at Excelsior in the Keith Alberga Tournament,” Grant said.

The team returned from Guyana with two gold, four silver and four bronze medals.