It was an electrifying atmosphere in the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall last evening as Guyana’s new school table tennis team brushed aside their old school counterparts 5-2 in a number of exhibition matches.
The most exciting match of the exhibition affair happened to be the final match of the evening which saw Guyana’s former 14-time champion Sydney Christophe of
the old school team, defeating the current men’s national champion Christopher Franklyn 2-0.
Christophe who is also a former Caribbean champion reminded the small crowd of his table tennis prowess by taking the first set 11-4.
He didn’t let up in second set and produced a performance which Franklin had no answer for, manufacturing excellent serves and returns to the delight of the crowd to win the second set and the match 11- 4. The first match of the evening saw Stabroek News’ Sports editor Donald Duff of the old school unit being defeated by Joel Alleyne 0-2.
Duff statred with a lot of energy which saw the first set being tied at 8 and 9 after the two had traded slams with Duff rolling back the years in excellent style before Alleyne took the match 11-9.
Alleyne then came out strong in the second set to lead 6-0 and took the match 11-3 to send new school up 1– 0.
New school’s Nigel Bryan was now on the table against Andy Anderson and also defeated him 2-0.
Bryant in the first set led, 5-3 to eventually fare off a surge from Anderson to win the first 11-9 and the second with relative ease, 11-6.
The 2-0 theme of the evening in favour of the younger generation, continued when the new school pair of Franklyn and Shemar Britton downing Christophe and Godfrey Munroe by a similar score-line in the doubles category 11-4, 11-7.
With the new school having a 3-0, organiser Chelsea Edghill continued her team’s winning ways after defeating Duff 2-0.
Edghill after trailing the first set 3-5 came from behind and won it 11-8 and the second 11-8 after Duff again held a 7-3 lead.
Old School’s first win of the evening, came through the efforts of Anderson who defeated Natalie Cummings 7-11, 11-4, 11-4 while Britton defeated Munroe 11-7, 12-14, 11-8.
Meanwhile, Guyana’s team who will patriciate in this year’s Caribbean Mini-Cadet and Pre-Cadet Table Tennis Championship, set for the Dominican Republic from August 26 – 31, defeated a select under – 15 team 4-1 in the earlier exhibition matches.
