THE Guyana Lottery Company yesterday inked a one-year sponsorship deal with local table tennis ace, Chelsea Edghill. It will cover the 23-year-old’s preparation for the Tokyo Olympics, the November 23 – 29 World Championships in Houston, Texas as well as her return to Portugal, where she plays professionally.
The sponsorship, valued at a substantial undisclosed sum, is said to be the company’s first for an athlete – something their Brand Ambassador Rawle Toney pointed out was solidified before Edghill picked up the lone female ‘wild card’ spot in the world which was handed down by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to the game’s most-promising player globally.
“It is with joy that the Guyana Lottery Company is announcing today’s partnership of Chelsea Edghill,” Toney said, while adding that “we believe that she’s deserving of the support, not just from the Guyana Lottery Company, but all of Guyana at this time.”

According to Toney, “The only requirement is for her to continue being a great and exemplary athlete. She would have excelled as a junior athlete not only in Guyana but Latin American and the Caribbean, so we just want her to keep playing and being the model of consistency for athletes in Guyana.”
Toney believes that it’s “important for other athletes to see that Chelsea Edghill is getting support from corporate Guyana, so that they can be inspired to work hard, knowing that someone is paying attention and will be willing to assist when the time comes.”
Meanwhile, the company’s General Manager, Tracey Lewis, said it’s a pleasure for them to sponsor Edghill, noting “you are a female role model for the young people in Guyana to look up to. We want to wish you all the very best and we will be standing behind you as you head to Tokyo.”

Edghill in thanking the Guyana Lottery Company, said, “It’s a great feeling to be backed by such a company and it is great to be able to continue my journey in the sport and to be given the opportunity to excel.” President of the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) Godfrey Munroe called the occasion “auspicious”, pointing out that “for elite athletes, corporate support plays a very pivotal role in ensuring that these athletes are supported and are able to realise their truest potential.”
“Chelsea represents one of our elite athletes with great potential and market value, so we’re happy that the Guyana Lottery Company can come on board and support her,” Munroe said.
The 2018 Caribbean U-21 Champion who also holds a BSc in Chemistry, having graduated in 2019 from Lindenwood University in the USA, plays professionally in Portugal with Lusitania de Lourosa – a table tennis club located in the city of Lourosa in Santa Maria da Feira.
When Edghill features at the 32nd Olympiad, she will become the first table tennis player, male or female, from Guyana and Lusitania de Lourosa to reach the Olympic Games.