…says she is humble after tough year to qualify for the summer games

OLYMPIAN Chelsea Edghill is set to once again compete at the highest level of her Sport representing Guyana and the English-speaking Caribbean at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games set for July 26 to August 10 in Paris, France.

Edghill, who lost in her latest Olympic qualification bid at the Americas Pan American qualification event in Cuba last month has again collected the covet Olympic spot
She will receive only two wild cards allocated for the discipline in the world, with the other going to a male after gaining the votes of the International Olympic Committee (IOC and International Table Tennis Federation. (ITTF)

She told Chronicle Sport that ‘I am happy about qualifying again for the Olympics, it is really unexpected, given the kind of years I have had leading up to the games, I definitely didn’t expect it, but overall I am very grateful and humbled by the opportunity to represent Guyana at the Olympics.

Edghill also participated for Guyana at the delayed Tokyo Games in Japan. At the Tokyo Games, she clinched her opener against two-time Olympian Sally Yee of Fiji to earn a birth to the main draw.

In the main draw she lost to Yubin Shin of South Korea 11-7, 11-8, 11-7, and 12-10
President of the Guyana Table Tennis Association and Guyana Olympic Association Godfrey Munroe says, ‘This is a win for Guyana and regional Table Tennis and is a testimony to the talent, hard work and determination of Chelsea, built on the sacrifices of the player’s official’s sponsors and stakeholders of the past and present.’

He added that ‘It is significant in that is has shown ITTF and IOC recognition of our player’s talent and country programme in selecting Chelsea, this provides the platform for us to continue to enhance the sports profile and market Guyana to the world, lobby for more support for our athletes and truly shows we have players with the talent and ability.’

Munroe added that ‘Olympic prospect Guyana’s Shemar Britton was a key candidate for wild card spot given his performances in international competition during the qualification period June 2023 to June 2024, however he was unable to attend the qualification events due to clashes his final year exams at the Hugh Wooding Law School, the event was a key requirement for wild card spots.’

The Guyana Olympic Association says they nominated 6 athletes for universality selection places ahead of the qualification period for the Olympics.
The Guyanese nominated are Keevin Allicock and Desmond Amsterdam for Boxing, Shemar Britton and Chelsea Edghill (table tennis), Celi Peterson (Taekwando) and Devin Permaul (archery) with only Edghill gaining a spot at the summer games thus far.

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