NINE years ago, Chelsea Edghill won her first NSC Junior Sportswoman-of-the-Year award, and although it was one of the most rewarding moments of her young career, she could not stop dreaming about winning the senior prize.

For her, the senior trophy was a rite of passage – it was an endorsement of greatness, not just in the sport of table tennis, but for all sports in Guyana.

As she grew, the youngster kept winning the junior award. In fact, the former Bishops’ High School student won back-to-back awards in 2013 and 2014, before she copped one during her first year at university in 2016.

Despite the difficulties, Edghill balanced the sport that she loves and the books that she needed. In the end, her hard work paid off. Within a week, she realised not one dream, but two. Six days after graduating from the Lindenwood University in Missouri, USA with a BSc in Chemistry, the young woman picked up her first Senior Sportswoman-of-the-Year award.
“It’s my best week yet and I’m really happy,” the 21-year-old told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday from the USA, where she is based.

Edghill, who had won the U-21 title at the 2018 Senior Caribbean Table Tennis Championships in Jamaica, added that she was “grateful for the award, humbled even. It just shows that hard work, perseverance, persistence and humility do pay off”.
On Friday night, Edghill, who placed second at the College National Regional competition in the U.S. last year and who helped the women’s national team to a second-place finish at the Pan Am Qualifiers in Guyana this year, shared the moment on Facebook. “We did it! Another achievement attained and I’m forever grateful.”

The young woman then went on to thank her family, coaches, mentors, friends and sponsors who have played a part in her progression.
For Edghill the last few years have been a process. “It was hard; I balanced school, work and table tennis. It took discipline and determination, as many times I felt like giving up.”
For Edghill, the second half of her degree proved very taxing.

“Some days the workload would become so overwhelming, I wouldn’t know how to even approach them. It was a matter of taking it one-step at a time and compartmentalising. I also had the support of mentors and family every step of the way which made the journey a bit better.”

Over the next few months, Edghill will concentrate solely on her sport as she looks to take her game to the next level.

The goal is to take some time and focus on table tennis and return next August to pursue my PhD in Chemistry.”