2023 National TT Championships off to exciting start
Published:Saturday | August 12, 2023 | 12:09 AMOrane Buchanan/Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT of the Jamaica Table Tennis Association, Andrew Lue, says the 2023 National Junior and Senior Championships, which is being held at the National Indoor Sports Centre, is shaping up to be an enthralling tournament based on what he saw from yesterday’s start to the three-day tournament.
“The action has been wonderful so far as it’s a well-supported tournament with over 200 entries and we have the youngsters giving a good account of themselves. I expect fierce competition as the youngsters have been practising very hard, so we’re anticipating some good performances.
“Table Tennis in Jamaica has been lagging behind for over a decade now I will say. Our senior players are finding it difficult to come out of their qualifying groups at any major regional tournament and our youngsters are not breaking into the senior team yet so we have a lot of work to do, but we believe that we have the talent,” Lue shared.
Among the standout performers on day one, in the junior category, was Shocoil Golding who won the under-9 category following his 11-4, 11-1, 11-2 victory over Yashime Anderson. In the girls’ under-9 category, which was contested in a round-robin format, Axys Johnson topped the field over Isabella Campbell and Alexandra Montique.
In the under-11 girls’ division, the tall frame of Christina Royes proved the best of the lot as she went unbeaten on the back of victories over Andralique Scott (11-8, 11-4, 11-6), Axys Johnson (11-9, 11-4, 11-7) and Jhadea Thompson (11-9, 12-10, 11-4) en route to victory. Axys Johnson finished second while Jhadea Thompson rounded off the top three spots.
WATSON OUT
The senior side of the championships, which will start today, will be without five-time national champion Kane Watson who has opted to view the 2023 championships from the sidelines. Watson, however, believes that quality on the male side is still there and has touted Mark Phillips as a possible winner.
“For me one of the favourites is Mark Phillips. For years he’s been knocking on the door and I think it’s time for him to step up,” Watson said.
Watson added that while he’s decided to take a year off, he still believes he has more to give to the sport.
“I still think I have a little left in the tank so that burning flame is still a bit there, not fully out, but this year I decided to take the year off and assess certain things in terms of fitness,” he disclosed.
The championships continues today starting at 9 a.m. with the seniors set to kick off their campaign.