`I’m going for double gold’

Shemar Britton (left) and coach Christopher Franklyn (right)
Shemar Britton (left) and coach Christopher Franklyn (right)

Reigning Caribbean Under – 21 men’s Table Tennis Champion, Shemar Britton, is aiming for a repeat performance at the upcoming 61st  edition of the senior Caribbean Championships which gets underway at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH), Georgetown in March. 

 Britton and Chelsea Edghill in 2018, created quite a stir after the duo stomped their way to the Under – 21 male and female titles in Jamaica.

 The left-handed Britton defeated the highly touted Barbadian Tyrese Knight 3-2 to claim the title. 

 His focus now, however, is primarily fixed on collecting glory once again.  

“I’m going for the double gold,” the 20-year-old emphatically revealed to Stabroek Sport earlier this week before he returned to Trinidad and Tobago to complete his studies at the University of West Indies. 

 He went further to pencil his ambitions which could see him possibly carting off four gold medals. 

 “This year I’m going for the men’s, the Under – 21, doubles and teams… I think our team is strong enough. I’m playing well, and all those goals are very realistic,” he added. 

 Britton has been fortifying his preparations for the upcoming championships both locally and in the Twin Island Republic where he suits up for the Queens’ Park Table Tennis club. 

 “I have a very good programme in Trinidad where I work along with my coach Aaron Edwards and I play with the Queen’s Park Table Tennis Club, and we train at least three to four times per week which is a very strong programme.” 

 Britton, who in December last clinched the Trinidad and Tobago Super Singles Men’s Open title, also talked up Guyana’s prospects of collecting gold in the team event in a bid to qualify for the Pan Am games. 

 “Just more sharpness and more tactical play,” he pointed out as areas where the teams need to improve while adding: “I think skill-wise we are on par with everyone in the region. We just need to be ready because we have what it takes to win that gold.” 

 Guyana placed second in the team event during last year’s championship in Jamaica where both the men and women’s team suffered finals defeat at the hands of the Dominican Republic.

 Their qualifying Pan Am hopes, however, will rest squarely on the shoulders of Britton, Christopher Franklyn, Nigel Bryan and Joel Alleyne after their 1-3 finals defeat and the likelihood of a similar threat from the Spanish Speaking nation. 

 Britton in the team’s finals loss, collected the consolation win against the then reigning Caribbean Champion, Samuel Galvez.