… Bishops’ High, Mae’s and West Demerara Secondary excel in team events

KAYSAN Ninvalle and Thuraia Thomas were crowned champions of the Elite Boys’ and Girls’ singles respectively when the curtain came down on the three-day GTTA 2019 National Talent-spotting Schools Novices and Elite Teams and Singles Table Tennis Challenge last Sunday evening.

The event attracted 35 schools in several different communities around the country and 180 students participated at Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Along with the individual encounters, several schools also fought for supremacy in team events, with Bishops’ High, Mae’s Schools and West Demerara Secondary emerging victorious.

ELITE SINGLES
Ninvalle, who attends Chase Academy defeated West Field School student Dhanesh Persaud in the final of the Boys Elite Singles 10-12, 11-7, 14-12 and 11-7.
Young Persaud did well, given that he upset two national players – Jonathan Van Lange in the quarter-finals (11-9, 11-4, 12-14, 11-7) and Isaiah Layne (11-8, 11-8, 11-8) in the semi-finals.

Marian Academy student Thomas got past Aneka Phillis from Buxton Youth Developers in the Girls’ Elite Singles final 11-8, 11-8, 11-7.
In the semi-finals, Thomas had defeated Nkechi McRae 11-4, 11-8, 11-13, 11-8, while Phillis got the better of Jasmine Billingy 6-11, 11-3, 11-8, 12-14, 11-1.

NOVICE SINGLES
In the Open Boys’ Rookie/Novices Singles, it came down to a battle between Isa Islamic School pair of Umar Percival and Saalih Rahim.
Thirteen-year-old Percival, broke the deadlock with an 8-11, 2-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 win against Rahim, who is one year his senior.

Tatyana Mohamed emerged as champion in the Open Girls’ Rookie/Novices Singles event. The St. Mary’s High School student defeated Mae’s student Nicky Melville 3-2 (11-8, 13-15, 9-11, 11-7, 11-9).
Third place went to losing semi-finalists Roze-Ann Saunders and Christine Ramdial.

TEAMS’ BATTLE
In the Open Boys’ Rookie team, West Demerara Secondary defeated Mae’s ‘A’ 3-1, while Isa Islamic and Linden ‘A’ finished a joint third.
In the Boys’ Elite teams final, Bishops’ High, led by Van Lange, defeated Chase Academy 3-1.

Van Lange defeated A. Persaud 3-0 (11-4, 11-7, 11-2), while Jamal Nicholas got past Krystian Sahadeo 3-2 (16-14, 12-10, 7-11, 15-17, 11-7) to even up the game. Bishops recaptured the lead after a 3-2 win in the doubles, before Van Lange came from behind to overcome Nicholas 9-11, 13-11, 8-11, 11-4, 11-7.

The Girls’ team battle took place in the Novice division. Sisters Crystal and Nicky Melville led a Mae’s Schools ‘A’ team to championship honours.
The Girls played undefeated in the league format. They blanked Charlestown Secondary 3-0, St Mary’s 3-0, Bishop’s High School 3-0 and their schoolmates, Mae’s B team 3-0.
Mae’s B pair of Ramdial and Edelia Simmons finished second.