FORMER national junior table tennis champion Orin `Vege’ Hickerson and Shemar Britton won the senior and junior categories of the Guyana Table Tennis Association’s (GTTA) `Clash of Champions’ championships, staged on Sunday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Sunday.

Hickerson proved he still has what it takes to be a top player in this country when he defeated rising star and national men’s player Shemar Britton 4-3 to win the senior category.
Hickerson co-sponsored the tournament along with former national junior player Jonathan Sankar, James Singh and National Hardware. Hickerson defeated Britton 7-11, 7-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-2, (4-3), while the third place was shared by Joel Alleyne and Edinho Lewis.
In the junior category which attracted 12 players including Bryton Murray of New Amsterdam and Angeli Persaud of Corriverton, also in Berbice, Britton defeated Chelsea Edghill 9-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-7, 11-7, (4-1) in the final to take the title, while the third place was shared by Rlishaba Johnson and Kyle Edghill.
In the semifinals, Britton defeated Johnson 13-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-8, (4-1); Edghill beat her sibling Kyle 8-11, 8-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-9, 11-9, (4-3).
The other players who came out of their group were Murray, Khalil Ninvalle, Terrence Rausch and Vincente Henery.
In the semifinals in the senior category, Britton beat Alleyne 11-9, 11-9, 11-7, 12-10, (4-0) and Hickerson defeated Lewis 12-10, 12-10, 11-13, 11-9, 11-8, (4-1).
In the quarter finals action, Britton overcame Devon Richmond 11-8,11-5,11-6 (3-0), Elishaba Johnson lost to Alleyne 9-11, 9-11, 11-8, 12-14, (1-3), Paul Meusa lost to Lewis 8-11, 4-11, 11-13, (0-3) and Chelsea Edghill lost to Hickerson 13-11, 7-11, 14-12, 4-11, 7-11 (2-3).
The other players that participated were Bryton Murray, Colin France, Jonathan Sankar, Kyle Edghill, Remy Taitt, Khalil Ninvalle, Terrence Rausch, Vincente Henery, Tiffani Barton, Angeli Persaud and Xenophon Goliah.
Meanwhile, GTTA will host a seniors’ open table tennis tournament on Sunday January 11, 2015 at the same venue.