Davidson, Butler secure double wins at Angles Junior TT

Joel Butler and Kelsey Davidson played their way to two titles each at the 9th Angels Table Tennis Academy Junior Table Tennis Tournament.

Playing in the spacious G.C. Foster College Auditorium, Butler and Davidson collected wins in the boys’ and girls’ under-15 and-18 singles respectively, in a July competition that heralded the return to form of 2017 Caribbean under-11 champion Liana Campbell.

Butler, who plays in the purple and white of Kingston College, triumphed in the under-18 category over promising Azizi Johnson and led Andre Richardson in the under-15 group. Davidson, who attends St Jago High School and trains at the academy, took on Campbell to win the under-15 and Olivia Petrekin in the under-18 division.

Academy founder Richard Davidson praised the double winners, commenting, “They have made their mark in this championship by winning their titles back-to-back”.

He also complimented others who starred. “We have some rising stars like Azizi Johnson and Gary White, who both won the under-13 and under-11, respectively,” he listed.

“Liana Campbell is rounding back into form,” coach Davidson noted after she took the under 13 title. In 2017, Campbell won the Under-11 singles at the Caribbean Mini and Pre-Cadet Championships in Kingston.

With support from Earth Elements, Fresco, Jungle Fire and Optical Solutions International, the Angels tournament has grown in the nine years of its existence.

“I remember my very first tournament was kept at my academy and we only invited two clubs, Portmore Missionary and Longsville Park,” he recalled of the event now played at the G.C. Foster College for Physical Education and Sport every July. “Now, children from all over Jamaica have participated.”

In other events, Aydrianna Hutchinson took the under-11 girls’ singles and the under-9 events were topped by Kira Scott and Logan Royes, respectively.