Gifted table tennis duo Jonathan Van Lange and Jasmine Billingy were class personified on Monday evening as they swept the boys and girls’ Under-15 and 18 categories at the conclusion of the Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) Challenge at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).
The 12-year-old Van Lange, who has been rampant in 2019, served his way to his fifth title. In the final of the boys’ Under-18 category, he overcame an animated Jamal Nicholas 3-1.
Nicholas who seemed intent to curtail Van Lange’s reign led the first set 9-5 but squandered a number of opportunities to close out the match and dropped it 12-10.
Van Lange rode with the momentum and collected the second set 11-4 before Nicholas pulled one back by winning the third 11-7. The duo went at each other in the fourth set and gave the spectators an exhibition before Van Lange closed out the match by clinching the fourth set 11-8.
Van Lange in the semis was tested by Terrence Rausch who he defeated 12-10, 9-11,11-9,12-10 while Nicholas got past Isaiah Layne 11-8, 13-11,11-4.
It was a similar script in the boys under – 15 final where Van Lange continued his winning pedigree by accounting for Layne 3-2 in a close contest.
Layne who may be ruing the lost opportunity surrendered the match 8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 2-11, 7-11. Van Lange defeated
Colin Wong 3-2 (11-8, 11-9, 13-15, 7-11, 11-4) in the semis while Layne snuck his way past Krystain Sahadeo 11-6, 6-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8.
Nine-year-old Billingy picked her two titles by playing unbeaten in the girls’ under -15 round-robin final and came in ahead of Nkechi McRae and Tatyana Mohamed.
Billingy who over the weekend, cooped the girls’ under -11 and 13 titles in the GTTA National Mini and Pre-Cadet Championships, extended her championship run by clinching the under – 18 title in the GTTA Challenge. She defeated McRae 11-6, 11-1, 11-9 in the final. (Royston Alkins)
