KAYSAN Ninvalle,Guyana’s first Cadet Player to be selected for the World Hopes Latin American Table Tennis Union (LATTU) Selection and Training Camp in Peru,is returning home with a bronze medal.The Chase Academy student,who is the Caribbean and National 11 years and under table tennis champion,finished third among the 11 years and under player at the camp which was held from October 18-23.

Ninvalle could have lost because of a blunder by the referee.However, his coach Linden Johnson recognized that the scores were incorrect and intervened.The mistake was corrected and Ninvalle was awarded the victory and received his medal and an apology from LATTU’s president, Juman Vila.

Ninvalle was one of 17 players from 9 national associations in the Latin Table Tennis Union which includes Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago.
The selectees participated in seven days of high-level intensity training with two days of competition under International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) head coach Eva Jeler of Germany,who was assisted by Lincon Yasuda of Brazil.

“These young players have a lot of talent, a natural talent; they need to be much better technically. The focus of the training has to be on basic techniques. If the foundations of a house are not strong, you will never have a big and safe house.”Jeler stated.

Meanwhile, Coach Johnson indicated that the training camp was intense and will be of much help to Ninvalle in the future.
Johnson added that Ninvalle held his own against the region’s best players and indicated that the ITTF experts recommended a particular regimen for the 11-year-old which he would implement and share with other young talents.
He said the training regimen used was not different from the ones used in Guyana but had specific emphasis on improving the players’ technical proficiency, movement, stroke production, fitness and knowledge transition to the campers.

On the experience gained, Ninvalle said that the experience was a great one for him and added that the training was quiet rigorous and a test of his fitness.
He added that despite a knee injury sustained during practice,he learned a lot and is committed to working even harder at improving technical and tactical elements of his game.