–Britton wins Men’s title, Van Lange takes U-19

ELEVEN-year-old Jasmine Billingy won four titles, including the coveted Women’s Singles title when the curtains came down on the three-day Mashramani Table Tennis Tournament on Sunday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The Winfer Gardens Primary School pupil also won the U-13, U-15 and U-19 titles at the event, which was played without a number of senior players.

In the male division, Shemar Britton, who finished as runner-up to Christopher Franklin at the National TT Championships a few weeks ago, was able to triumph in the Men’s Singles.
Orin Hickerson won the ‘B’ Class Open while rising star, Jonathan Van Lange won the U-19 division.

Dominance
Without the likes of several senior female players, including Chelsea Edghill, Natalie Cummings, and teenager Thuraia Thomas, Billingy was able to ease to victory against Samara Sukhai and Akira Watson.

She defeated her age group rival, Sukhai 3-1 (11-8, 9-11, 11-7 and 11-5) and Akira Watson 3-0 (13-11, 11-5, 11-6).
Sukhai finished second after defeating Watson 3-0 (11-8, 11-2 and 11-6).

Prior to Sunday, the event had opened on Mash Day with Billingy winning the U13 girls ahead of Sukhai, Watson and Shackecy Damon (respectively). She then won the U-15 battle against Sukhai, Watson and Sobennma Venture and the U-19 division against Sukhai and Watson.
Sukhai had won the U-11 girls title ahead of Seona Barker and Damon.

In the male division, Zion Hickerson finished ahead of Aaron Edwards and Noel Persaud in the U-9 division. Darrius Daniels placed first in the U-11 division, with Edwards and A Johnson finishing second and third.

The U-13 division was won by Malachi Moore with Ebo McNeil finishing second and Daniels and Travis Lyken joint third.
Colin Wong won the U-15 division, followed by McNeil with Moore and Daniels tied for third.
In Sunday’s U-19 final, Van Lange defeated Niran Bissu 3-0 (11-8, 11-2 and 11-5).

In the semi-finals, 15-year-old Van Lange had defeated Krystian Sahadeo 3-1 (11-2, 7-11, 11-7 and 11-7), while Bissu had defeated Colin Wong 3-0 (11-4, 11-7 and 11-6).
Meanwhile, twelve players contested the ‘B’ Class Open with Hickerson defeating the veteran, Colin France, in the grand finale.

France, who continues to play superb table tennis, had taken an early 2-1 lead, but Hickerson fought back to win 3-2 (9-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7, 11-6).

In the semi-finals, Hickerson had defeated Elishaba Johnson 3-0 (13-11, 11-9 and 11-7), while France had gotten the better of Devon Richmond 3-1 (11-8, 7-11, 11-8 and 11-8). Both Johnson and Richmond finished joint third.

The Men’s final also proved competitive with 16 players competing. Without national champion Christopher Franklin in the line-up, the day belonged to Britton and he was impressive.
Britton defeated Van Lange 4-0 (16-14, 11-7, 11-9 and 11-7) in the final. He had gotten past Johnson 4-0 (11-7, 11-7, 11-6 and 11-3) in the semi-final and Remy Taitt 4-0 (11-9. 11-6, 11-6 and 11-9) in the quarter-final.

Van Lange got the better of Joel Alleyne in a competitive semi-final clash, via a 4-1 (13-11, 11-6, 13-11, 6-11 and 11-9) scoreline, while he got past Hickerson 4-1 (11-8, 12-10, 9-11, 11-8 and 11-5) in the quarter-final.

The event was organised and sponsored by the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) and the National Sports Commission. (NSC).