GUYANA’S Neveah Clarkston, Selinas Jackman and Abigail Martin moved into today’s quarterfinals after topping their groups during the preliminary round in the Girls’ Under-11 singles of Caribbean Pre-Cadet Table Tennis Championships being held at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Fresh off their win on Monday, Girls’ Under-11 champions Clarkston and Jackman, joined by Martin, managed to win all of their matches as the first day of competition in the Individual round began yesterday.
Clarkston defeated Trinidad’s Shreya Maharaj 11-7, 11-5, 11-3, augmenting it with a five-set win against  Maharaj’s compatriot Ackayla Lucas. After Clarkston won the first set 11-3, Lucas managed to pick up her game and take the second set 6-11. Clarkston won the third set 11-7 before Lucas evened the score again after she won the fourth set 8-11 and sent the match to a decisive fifth set, which Clarkston 11-6.
Jackman also had her luck against the Trinidadians in straight-set wins. Jackman beat Shurja Welch 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 and defeated Shyana Ramnarine 11-2, 11-7, 11-6.
Martin played Barbados’ Kaleah Martyr and won 9-1, 11-5, 11-6, 11-3, while she won 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-6 against Aruba’s Mikayla Mathilda.
The girls were assembled into groups of three where they played round-robin matches and the top two players from each group advanced into the quarterfinals. In today’s quarterfinals Jackman and Clarkston both get a bye while Martin is set to play Trinidad’s Welch.
In other wins of the day Guyana’s Kristie Lopes and Priyanna Ramdhani finished second in their groups to make it into the quarterfinals of the Girls’ 13-and-under category. Today, Lopes will play Trinidad’s Shanekah Johnson and Ramdhanni will play Dominican Republic’s Idelsa Baez.
Niran Bissu, Terence Raush, Tyriq Saunders are all through to the Boys’ Under-11 quarterfinals.
For the Boys’ Under-13 Guyana’s Miguel Wong will face Khalil Ninvalle also from Guyana. Ninvalle made it into the quarterfinals after he defeated Aruba’s Ethan De Lange 11-6, 16-14, 9-11, 11-2. However, Guyana’s Jeremy Singh was ousted after he could not overcome Trinidad’s Jakeem Welch and went down 3-11, 6-11, 7-11.
Yesterday’s winning performances follow Guyana’s medal haul in the doubles round on Monday. Guyana ended the doubles round with two gold, three silver and three bronze medals.
In addition to gold in the Girls’ Under-11 doubles, Guyana took the title on the Boys’ side of the age category, which was won by Niron Bissu and Terence Raush. Second place for the Boys’ title went to Guyana’s Kaysan Ninvalle and Saunders.
Singh and Wong teamed up to win silver in the Boys’ Under-13 category, after they lost to Trinidad’s Joshua Maxwell and Jakeem Welch. Lopes and Simran Bissu ended third in the Girls’ Under-13 doubles.
Earlier in the day Clarkston and Raush won silver in the Under-11 mixed doubles, while Martin and Niron shared third place with Saunders and Jackman.
Competition in the event which began last Sunday is expected to come to a close today. (Tamica Garnett)