THE Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), with support from the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), is hopeful it can send Jonathan Van Lange to a High-Performance camp ahead of the inaugural Junior Pan-American Games in Cali, Colombia from November 25 to December 5.

The 14-year-old earned his spot at the Games from a ‘wild card’ pick and joins Miguel Wong as the two Guyanese table tennis players who will attend.

Wong is currently in Germany at a high-performance camp, compliments of a US$8 000 investment from GOA and GTTA president Godfrey Munroe said avenues are being explored to get Van Lange into a programme.

“At the Executive level of the Olympic Association, that was discussed and a proposal is to be made for Jonathan,” Munroe, who is also a GOA vice-president, stated at a press briefing Saturday.

Munroe, said they are exploring the option to have him potentially join Wong at the Topspin Tischtennis Centre.
The GTTA head had indicated that they opted to send Wong to Germany given the cost-effective nature as opposed to the programme in the United States of America.

He further highlighted that while Wong will have to leave the camp for the Senior Pan American Championships which will run from November 13 to 19 in Lima, Peru, Van Lange can remain in Germany until a later date.

The Junior Pan Am Games will start November 25 but table tennis players are only allowed to enter the camp from November 27 with the discipline going into competition mode from November 30.

“There is a plan to intensify his preparation and provide some match practice, even if it is for a two/three-week engagement,” Munroe expressed.
Van Lange is currently engaged in daily sessions with National coach Idi Lewis at the Malteenoes Sports Club.