The players who qualified will represent Trinidad and Tobago in regional and international tournaments this year.John, who recently returned from a stint in China. edged last year’s Silver Bowl Under-15 champ 8-11, 11-7, 10-12, 13-11, 11-7 for this place.Joseph and the France-based Gopaul received byes into the men’s trials, and the latter ended up securing […]
The players who qualified will represent Trinidad and Tobago in regional and international tournaments this year.John, who recently returned from a stint in China. edged last year’s Silver Bowl Under-15 champ 8-11, 11-7, 10-12, 13-11, 11-7 for this place.Joseph and the France-based Gopaul received byes into the men’s trials, and the latter ended up securing the fourth and final spot, behind the United States-based Derron Douglas, Yuvraaj Dookram and Aaron Wilson.The 18-year-old, who had lost their clash 12-10, 12-10, 11-7 in the first round, then also gained revenge over two others players who has beaten him earlier in the day.Malik Gopaul and Josiah Joseph were selected automatically, and Sekel McIntosh had won the first trial event for the third place.Humphreys, who did not turn up to battle for the reserve spot, and John went down in four games in the first round to McIntosh, who beat Cottoy and Mohammed in three straight.Cottoy, who also won three matches in the first round but had to settle for second because he was beaten (11-9, 14-12, 11-5) by his fellow 15-year-old, did not even end up as the reserve.Mohammed whipped Jonathan Cottoy 11-9, 11-8, 11-6 after failing to win a game in the first round, and after going down in four games to Samuel Humphreys, he had the last laugh 11-5, 7-11, 11-2, 11-8 to earn the fourth and final pick.After losing all four matches in the first straight round-robin playoff earlier in the day, the University of Trinidad and Tobago player spent over five minutes on the ground batting cramps during his opening match of the second round. Mohammed, deadlocked at six-all with Gabriel John in the deciding fifth game at the time, was expected to throw in the towel, but he somehow managed to get back on his feet and limp to victory (11-2, 3-11, 7-11, 11-8, 13-11) after saving a match point.WITH all the odds stacked against him, Ameer Mohammed managed to make the national Under-19 table tennis team last week Saturday at National Racquet Centre, Orange Grove Main Road, Tacarigua.
