Guyana’s Shemar Britton played superbly yesterday to qualify for the Pan American Games singles competition later this year.
Contesting the semi-finals of the special singles qualification event in Lima, Peru, yesterday against Colombian Julian Ramos, Britton held his nerve when it mattered most, whilst Ramos lost his in a tense seventh game which Britton won 11-9 to book his place among the best Pan Am TT players who will contest the October 29 to November 5 Games in Santiago, Chile later this year.
However, while Britton tasted success, Guyana’s other participant Chelsea Edghill lost her semi-final encounter to Nathalay Paredes of Ecuador 4-0. A win would have sealed her spot in the championships as well.
She will, however, have a final chance of qualification today when she opposes Paraguay’s Lucero Ovelar of Paraguay from 1040am.
Yesterday’s win by Britton was sweet revenge for his opening day defeat to Ramos 2-4.
Ramos had beaten Britton 11-8, 11-6, 11-13, 11-7, 8-11 and 11-7.
Yesterday, however, it was Britton who let out a huge roar and slumped to his knees, throwing away his racquet, (which he later recovered) in the euphoria of his 6-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 7-11, 14-12, 11-9
victory.
Thumping his chest he acknowledged his coach, former Caribbean men’s singles champion, Sydney Christophe, before congratulating his opponent Ramos for pushing him to the hilt.
From the start it was Ramos who did the early running winning the first and third games to lead 2-1.
However, Britton equalized the match by winning the second and fourth games only for Ramos to surge ahead once more by winning the fifth game.
It seemed all over for Britton in the sixth but a never-say-die attitude saw him winning that game 14-12 and the final game 11-9.
Britton, who is currently Guyana’s highest internationally ranked male table tennis player, was joined in the final by his teammate Tyrese Knights who disposed of the Dominican Republic’s Samuel Galvez 4-0 in the other semi-final.
Britton and Edghill are members of the Guyana team which leaves here tomorrow for the Central American and Caribbean Games in El Salvador.
That team will be coached by Idi Lewis and Joel Alleyne.
