Farley, Lowe invade ‘Super Singles’

Barbadian Kevin Farley and Guyana’s Trenace Lowe were crowned new champions when the annual  Reliability Maintenance Services Limited (RSML) Super Singles Table-Tennis Tournament took place at the Central Regional Indoor Sports Arena, Saith Park, Chaguanas on Sunday. Farley’s win was the second in a row by a member of his family after his brother captured the title last year while Lowe dethroned 16-year-old T&T starlet, Catherine Spicer as champion.

After playing his way through the four rounds of knockout from the round of 48 following his bye from the group qualifiers, Farley played unbeaten in the six-men round-robin final to end with a record of 9-0 overall, and 5-0 in the final. He registered wins over University of T&T’s Everton Sorzano (11-4, 11-7, 11-8), PowerGen’s USA-based Dayanan Maharaj (11-3, 17-15, 11-5), fellow Crusaders player Anthony “Sandfly” Brown (12-10, 11-8, 11-8), Guyana’s Colin France (11-5, 8-11, 5-11, 11-2, 11-8) and Michael Nanton of D’Abadie Youths by default  for the $2,000 winner’s prize.

Brown, made it a one-two Crusaders’ finish as he ended with a 4-1 record with victories against Sorzano (11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7); Maharaj (8-11, 11-7, 11-7, 13-11); France (11-7, 15-13, 8-11, 11-9) and Nanton (11-3, 11-3, 11-1) to collect the $1,500 runner-up cheque.

France returned to his native Guyana with the third place prize of $1,200 after he defeated Sorzano (11-4, 12-10, 11-5), Nanton (14-12, 11-8, 11-5) and Maharaj (12-10, 14-12, 11-6) for a 3-2 record.

Maharaj was fourth via victories over Sorzano (11-7, 11-5, 11-8) and Nanton by default.

Sorzano, who earlier in the knock-out stage had back-to-back upset wins over last year’s winner Kevin Farley 10-12, 11-1, 11-6, 5-11, 13-11 in the round-of-24 and seventh seeded Arun Roopnarine, in the last-12, avoided the wooden spoon after he powered past Nanton 11-6, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8.

In the women’s five-player round-robin final, Guyanese Lowe made her trip to T&T a worthy one as he got the better of multiple national champion, Aleena Edwards (University of T&T), her mother Verna Edwards (Gladiators), second seeded Linda Partap-Boodhan (Arima Hawks) and Ambica Sitram (Carenage Blasters) to end with a perfect 4-0 record.

Lowe, the top ranked Guyanese women’s player and representing local club, Gladiators’ shrugged off the challenge of Edwards (A), 11-8, 11-5, 8-11, 11-6 before she brushed aside the senior Edwards (V), 11-7, 11-5, 11-4; Partap-Boodhan 11-3, 10-12, 11-9, 11-8 and Sitram 11-8, 11-3, 11-3 for the $1,500 top prize. 

The younger Edwards, who dumped Spicer in the women’s round-of-ten 16-14, 11-4, 2-11, 13-11 took home the $1,000 second placed cheque after beating Sitram 11-6, 11-6, 11-8; Partap-Boodhan 11-8, 11-9, 13-11 and her mother, Verna 11-7, 11-7, 11-6. 

Partap-Boodhan was third after she beat Sitram 11-4, 14-12, 14-12 and Edwards, 11-5, 11-6, 8-11, 11-6 while Edwards (V) was fourth, via an 11-4, 11-8, 11-8 win against Sitram. 

The other foreign entrant among the women, Guyana’s Jody Ann Blake was stopped in the round-of-16 by Partap-Boodhan 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7 while teenager, Brittany Joseph had a win over Edwards (A) in the group stages.

The tournament was of great significance to the local players as it was used to select a squad of players to train with the aim of representing T&T in Germany at next year’s World Table Tennis Team Championship.

All members of this team will be required to source their own funding as quickly as possible. Accommodation and meals are provided free by the International Table-Tennis Federation (ITTF).

Meanwhile, the T&T Table Tennis Association will host’s annual end-of-year achievement and awards function at       the Hasely Crawford Stadium, VIP Lounge, Mucurapo on January 5, from 5 pm.