… Guyana team departs today

KAYSAN Ninvalle, Guyana’s lone gold medallist at last year’s Pre-Cadet and Caribbean Table Tennis Championships, yesterday received sponsorship from Colors Boutique, as he gets set to feature in the 2017 edition of the championship which will be held in Jamaica, August 21-28.

One year ago, Ninvalle defeated Jalen Kerr of Trinidad and Tobago 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9 in the Boys U-11 final and now, moving up to the U-13 category, the racquet-wielder believes he can replicate his performance to win gold once again.
At a simple presentation ceremony held at the Colors Boutique Robb Street location, Sales Representative Creanna Damon said they were happy with his progress in the sport, noting that her entity is simply fulfilling an obligation made earlier this year.
Colors Boutique had signed a two-year deal with Ninvalle to support the sensational player, and as such, Damon believes that with his (Ninvalle) steady growth in the sport, the company is willing to continue its sponsorship.
Meanwhile, Ninvalle, who was named Junior Sportsman-of-the-Year for his exploits in 2016, thanked Colors Boutique for the continued support, and said that he’s confident of doing well in Jamaica.

According to Ninvalle, he’s prepared for the challenge ahead, pointing out that he’s grown significantly in the sport.
Ninvalle is on a full scholarship at Chase’s Academic Foundation and Principal Henry Chase, the school’s proprietor, commended Colors Boutique for its sponsorship. Chase wished Ninvalle the best of luck in Jamaica.
The Caribbean Pre- and Mini-Cadet championships engage players between the ages of 11 and 13 years under and is a signature tournament on the regional calendar of events, since it forms the basis for regional table tennis supremacy and the commencement of the journey of many of our young talent into the international arena.
Additionally it serves to provide the platform for the technical and tactical development of players in addition to the opportunity for players to win medals, match and assess their skills against Caribbean counterparts and allow the association to lobby for international support among other benefits.

In the 2016 edition of the championships, Guyana secured 8 medals with Kaysan Ninvalle winning the Boys 11 years and under singles title. The team also secured medals in the Girls 13 years and under singles – Neveah Clarkston, silver medal Girls doubles – Neveah Clarkston and Abigaile Martin, Isaiah Layne secured silver medal in the Boys’ 13 years and under and silver in the Boys’ and Girls’ 13 years and under.
Competition will be among Puerto Rico, Barbados, Aruba, Jamaica, St Lucia Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic and French Guiana and other participating countries.
The competition takes on an added dimension with the hosting of a training camp being conducted under the auspices of the Latin American Table Tennis Union for the 11 years and under participants from August 14-19.

As our next prospects transition as possible representatives of Guyana at regional and international tournaments, Junior Olympics and Junior Olympic Cycle games in the future, it is therefore critical they are provided with the requisite exposure in view, realising their true potential.

Further tournaments such as these charter a pathway players have to take in order to ascend the ranking in the next 4- 6 years.
Squad: (11 Years Boys) Dhanesh Persaud, Krystian Sahadeo, Colin Wong, Alexander De Abreu
(11 Years Girls) Tatyana Mohamed, Rozeanna Saunders. (13 Years Boys) Kaysan Ninvalle, Isaiah Layne Jonathan Van Lange. (13 Years Girls) Thuraia Thomas, Shorana Roberts. (Coach and Management Personnel) Linden Johnson, Dwain Dick, Maurice Cummings, Kennard Sahadeo, Munniram Persaud, Candacy McKenzie. (Manager Delegate) Michael Layne, Kamala Vanlange. (Manager Chaperone) Dawn Chung Layne and Daniel Thomas.