GUYANA Table Tennis Association executive (GTTA) and coach Linden Johnson says that preparation is going well for Guyana’s team for the upcoming South American Games set for Argentina in the coming weeks.
Guyana is set to send a four-member team, including national champion Shemar Britton, Colin Wong, Elisheba Johnson, and Chelsea Edghill.
According to the GTTA coach, “The table tennis players have been preparing since before the CAC Games and continued for the South American Games under the watchful eyes of the Cuban coach Livan Martinez, strength and conditioning coach Joel Alleyne, senior player Christopher Franklin and yours truly, and we find we are playing more table tennis.”
He said they had minor venue-related challenges in preparation, but they tried to put in quality preparation.
Johnson, a long-time national coach, says he expects a good return from the side, adding, “‘I think the players will do well even though there is high competition. When I say a higher level of competition, most of the South American and Spanish-speaking countries will be there, and strong teams like Brazil will be there, and then the host, Argentina.’
He said they need to deliver on their potential and ability; Guyana needs to play positively and do their best to achieve success.
‘We got some good players, but they need to get more exposure, but they could do well at these games. I do hope for the preparation they went through and the hard training they put in, and that they put their best foot forward’
The local contingent is expected to depart on the 18th and 19th, with the games set to serve off on the 21st and conclude on the 28th in Argentina.
Meanwhile, Olympian Chelsea Edghill has shared her immediate and mid-term goals in table tennis with the Guyana Chronicle.
“The focus is South American Games that are in about two-three weeks on the table, and I think then there will be just preparation for the Olympics, which is in 2028, and we are in 2026; we are halfway through, and it is good to be able to keep focus and keep improving and trying to play your best and get a bit better than you were the year before, so on the table, that is where I stand, hopefully to be able to play professionally again in January or the following season.”
