National TT c/ships set to serve off this weekend
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the competitiveness of the sport domestically.
3. Allowing for the promotion and marketability of players.
He explained that the championships were not held over the last four years for varying reasons.
“Our inability to host these games distracted from our many achievements and the executive committee therefore felt it was very critical that every effort was made to have these championships hosted given its critical importance to structuring of key aspects of the sport,” he said.
According to Munroe, the reason for staging the tournament so early in the new year is so that the GTTA can to use the tournament
as a launching pad for the establishment and implementation of a national ranking system which would serve to improve transparency in the selection of national team members.
In this regard, he said, the committee took decisions to have three distinctively separate events for the national championships which would be a National Senior championship, a National Junior and Cadet Championships scheduled for February 2016 and a National Veterans and Doubles championships set for March of 2016.
“This, the committee felt, would lend to better manageability of the event and less difficulty in securing sponsorship for a 30-category event as done in the past when we hosted a full fledge championships,” he said adding…”The championships truly provide an environment to expose and showcase the next generation of our future champions.
“The likes of Shemar Britton, who has been winning several of the domestic competitions, defending champion Nigel Bryan, who won the last men’s tourney, Joel Alleyne, Edinho Lewis, Elishaba Johnson, Kyle Edghill, Orin Hickerson, Stephan Corlette and the ageless Colin France are all pretenders to the throne of National men’s champion, players who could truly provide some exciting table tennis,” he said.
“On the distaff side defending women’s champion Trenace Lowe is currently in Guyana preparing for the games so is defending Junior champion and Junior Olympian Chelsea Edghill who is currently playing on the intercollegiate circuit, the improving Natalie Cummings, Jody Blake Delicia Cummings, Neveah Clarkston, Priscilla Greaves and Salenas Jackman, all provide a roster for some competitive table tennis,” said Munroe.
B and C Class events
“The `B’ Class and `C’ Class events offer a new dimension to the national championships but is part of the association’s plan to establish a system ranking for all levels and tiers of players and to provide a system for measuring players development and an opportunity for players outside of the top tier to be able to win which would help with motivation and succession and transitioning,” said Munroe.
“With several of the players coming off a successful sojourn at the US Open Team Championships last year, GTTA members are of the opinion that the 2016 championships makes for very competitive event with keen rivalries among the players in the various categories given the abundance and nucleus of young emerging and immensely talented players and those with loads of potential currently playing the sport.”
Prizes /Awards
Prizes will be awarded to the first three finishers in each division and the awards include trophies and cash incentives, said Munroe.
Sponsorship
According to the GTTA head honcho, sponsorship is still being still be finalized although the GTTA has had favourable responses from Banks DIH Limited, the Joseph ` Reds’ Perreira Foundation, the Guyana Olympic Association and last but by no means least, Ramesh Sunich of the Trophy Stall.