P&P Insurance Brokers is fully behind Class 10 Para table tennis player Gibran Sarfaraz who is set to compete at the Para Copa Costa Rica Table Tennis Championship in Costa Rica from December 8th to 13th.
Yesterday, at the P & P Insurance Brokers building Lamaha Street, Director Vikash Panday, spoke of the company’s decision to support Sarfaraz at the upcoming championships.
Panday, himself a former national junior player, said he recognised the contributions, exploits and potential of Sarfaraz and was very proud to support him in his quest to bring Guyana regional honours.
“This morning we’re here to give him financial support as he prepares to head to this key championship in December this year,” said Panday, son of former Guyana Cricket Board secretary Bishwa Panday.
“We want to wish Gibran the best. We’ve always, as part of our corporate social responsibility and beyond, been supportive of our young people and sports on the whole, the development of sports and sporting personalities, since we believe that these are the opportunities that are needed to ensure that we inspire and provide opportunities for more para athletes the likes of Gibran to aspire and develop in our country,” Panday added.
General Secretary of the GTTA Linden Johnson, expressed gratitude to Panday and P & P Insurance Brokers for the contribution and support which he said was indeed invaluable at this time.
“It is recognition that only through corporate support from companies such as yours that have demonstrated support for the development of sports and sports personalities, which we can make such venture a reality and for this we are truly grateful,” said Johnson.
According to a release from the Guyana Table Tennis Association, (GTTA) the upcoming championships, will provide the opportunity to showcase Guyana’s premier Paralympic player.
Additionally, the association stated that it will allow them the opportunity to promote and work with the talented player for future success and growth of the Paralympic sport even as the GTTA embarks on the road of excellence growth and enhancement of the game itself.
Safaraz is a high-level Paralympic athlete who has represented Guyana at the Pan America Paralympic Games in Lima, Peru in 2019.
He also participated at the USA Paralympic Open and other key Paralympic championships but was unable to attend any key events in the last 18 months owing to the COVID-19 pandemic
The GTTA stated that despite these setbacks, Safaraz has remained motivated and very passionate about the sport and has continued to train and make significant sacrifice.
He has, the release stated, been truly a positive contributor to the programmes of the national federation.
The GTTTA said that with the restart of competitions globally and world rankings becoming a major factor in determining qualification for key events given the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become critical that the association is able to have its players participate in key competitions and training camps as a means of having them continue to gain the requisite exposure and preparation with a view to positioning them to gain world ranking points so as to maximize their chances of qualification and success at key international competitions and games such as the Commonwealth Games, the South American Games and the Central America and Caribbean Games.
Among the countries expected to participate at the upcoming championships are the USA, Puerto Rico, Canada, Spain, Great Britain, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Russia, Peru, El Salvador, Chile and Costa Rica.
According to the GTTA, Safaraz is an ITTF Level Two coach who volunteers of his time and effort in developing the sport in Guyana teaching and coaching young athletes in schools and depressed communities.
“A winner of three National Paralympic Sports awards, Gibran represents the face of Guyana’s Paralympic programme and activities, his participation truly gives us the impetus to truly market and motivate many other athletes to participate in Para sports and to aspire to the highest levels in Guyana,” the release ended.
