nigel.simon@guardian.co.tt
The trio of Anthony Laquis, of Oxford, Faiz Mohammed, of PowerGen Penal, and David Ramdin, of Oxford, were all in winners row when the South Zone of the T&T Table Tennis Association (T&TTTA) held a Masters & Veterans Tournament featuring 33 players from nine clubs at the Preysal Secondary School, Preysal, on Sunday last.
In the 50 59 division, Laquis outplayed clubmate Ishwar Sookoonsingh in the final 11-5, 11-8, 11-6.
When the knockout phase served off, Laquis swept past Adesh Ramphallie 11-4, 11-7, 11-7 in the round-of-16 followed by wins over Dave Ramoutar (11-4, 10-12, 11-9, 11-4) in the last-eight, and Frankly Seechan in the final-four 3-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11-9, 11-5 while Sookoonsingh had a round-of-16 bye before he beat Rasheed Mohammed 11-9, 11-5, 11-4 in the quarterfinals, and Rafael Mohammed in his semifinal, 11-8, 11-7, 5-11, 11-7.
Laquis had qualified out of his three-player round-robin Group One in the second spot after beating Brian McEachrane 11-4, 11-6, 11-6 and losing to group winner Dexter Archie 11-3, 11-4, 8-11, 8-11, 7-11 while Sookoonsingh topped Group Four with wins against Ramphallie 11-4, 2-11, 8-11, 11-7, and Arlene Joseph 11-3, 11-5, 11-8.
Mohammed played unbeaten in winning the 60-69 categories, defeating Bobby Gopaul of Oxford Club in the decider 11-4, 11-9, 11-9.
This after Mohammed received a quarterfinal round bye before beating Harnarine Moonasar 11-9, 11-7, 11-6 in their final-four encounter while Gopaul battled past Satesh Jodhan 12-10, 11-6, 13-11 in his semifinal.
In the round-robin stage, Mohamed won both his Group One matches versus Edwin Caines 12-10, 11-6, 11-6 and Bachan Singh 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 while Gopaul outplayed Moonasar 11-8, 11-8, 4-11, 11-5, Brian Demming 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-3, and Jeffery Morris 11-7, 11-6, 11-4 in Group Two.
Faiz Mohammed, of PowerGen Penal, collects his 60-69 age-group winner’s trophy and hamper from Elton Beckles in the South Zone of the T&T Table Tennis Association (T&TTTA) Masters & Veterans Tournament at the Preysal Secondary School, Preysal last Sunday.
And in the 70 and Over veterans competition, Ramdin, of Oxford Club, ended with a perfect 3-0 record for first place ahead of Couva Table Tennis Club’s Ken Ali (2-1), while Guaracara Table Tennis Club Allan Dookie was third.
Ramdin defeated Dookie 11-8, 11-7, 12-10; Ali 11-8, 11-5, 11-3, and Samuel Sandassie also of Guaracara, 10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 while Ali beat Dookie 11-5, 11-2, 11-5 and Sandassie 11-7, 13-15, 11-8, 11-8. Dookie got his lone win against Sandassie 6-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-9.
At this tournament which also featured invited players from the Central Zone, many of the former players and administrators from South and Central Trinidad were honoured.
In addition, tribute was also paid to Mansingh Amarsingh, Leela Calpu, Edwin Niffikeer, Elton Beckles, Vishnu Gokool, Michael Brisbane and Frankie Worrell.
Hampers were sponsored by Karibbean Flavours and water was donated by S.M Jaleel and Company while two female participants Arlene Joseph of Enterprise, and her clubmate Jacquilline Coutain were given a special match in addition to their participation in the 50 - 59 category.
Moving forward, the South Zone of the T&TTTA plans to host at least two more tournaments in 2022 as table tennis resumes after the pandemic lockdown.