A frustrated Rheann Chung fell to a first-round loss after a brilliant start in her women's singles table tennis match yesterday at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.
Competing on table two at Sports Centre Three at the National Sporting Village, Chung suffered a 4-1 (11-4, 6-11, 9-11, 8-11, 5-11) loss to Dominican Republic's Eva Brito.
"I am very disappointed with myself, just really, really disappointed and I definitely know I could beat her. I had plans but I messed it up," Chung said after the loss.
"We played a couple of times. I think I won a little more times than her but I just don't know. She won because I was making a lot of mistakes with the backhand. It was my downfall today."
At the start of the best-in-seven sets match-up, the France-based Chung got out well, registering the first two points off her service game. She then went up 8-3, responding well to the Dominican Republic player to take the game in three minutes 11-4.
By the second game, however, Chung, who had started strongly, was struggling to make returns to Brito, who celebrated by pumping her fist for each point won. Brito took the second set 6-11.
"The first game I played okay, I was attacking very well. No mistakes and stuff and then the second game I was more on the defensive side and I was returning the service bad and I just kind of lost focus," Chung admitted afterwards.
Into the third set, Brito continued to target the T&T player's backhand returns, which were crashing into the net occasionally and went up 5-0. Chung fought back though, to trail 4-6 before tying the scores at 6-6. Both players traded points in an entertaining third game but another lapse by Chung saw Brito gain a 9-8 advantage before sealing the set 11-9.
"It's funny my backhand. Back in the day, it used to be my favourite shot but now I don't know, it seems to be the forehand," she said.
The five-time Caribbean women's champion battled again into the fourth set but lost it 8-11 and was unable to pull back a game to extend the match, losing the fifth set 5-11.
"I would have liked to have beaten her and end up in the second round but...," said Chung trailing off, still grieving over the passing of her step-father and mentor, Dexter St Louis, a former national and five-time Caribbean men's singles champion.
"I'm just missing him a lot. It's hard for me, just to be here is difficult. I am just missing him and feeling empty."
Chung will now return to France and take a short break before resuming training for her upcoming matches in September.
In Cycling
No medals were won by T&T on the final day of cycling, as Akil Campbell and Tyler Cole placed eighth in the Men's Madison in the last event on the track at the Velodrome.
The local duo started strong in the 50-km race, which included 20 sprints where cyclists earn points.
Campbell and Cole registered five points in the first sprint and then two more in the 11th sprint. However, they have been penalised 20 points and ended with a negative-13 tally to place eighth of the 11 competing teams. Chile won the gold medal with 88 points, the USA copped silver with 85 and bronze went to Colombia (61). Peru and the Dominican Republic did not finish the race.
On Sunday, Kwesi Browne just missed out on a medal in the men's keirin final, crossing fourth before being relegated to sixth place.
Assistant coach Gene "Geronimo" Samuel, a former national cyclist who understands the rigours of the sport, was disappointed how the race panned out.
He said, "Browne was in a really good position as you saw he collided with another rider, both did really well not to crash but at that speed, over 70km/h, once you let up on the gas there's no coming back, which was really unfortunate for us cause he was feeling really good today (Sunday).
"He was confident going in but that's the nature of the sport. He did well to come from the sixth position where you pull by straws. He manoeuvred with experience to get up in front and unfortunately he got covered. It's pretty rough out there. Unless you're in it you don't understand."
He added: "At the end of it all, good luck does play a factor but thank God he didn't crash. We were hoping for another medal. Physically and speed-wise he had some of his best times yesterday (Saturday) so he was full of confidence going in, I feel it for him."
Samuel also praised the work of technical director Erin Hartwell following a successful run at the Games in which they bagged three medals - two golds and a silver.
"I knew he (Hartwell) would have been a big asset to T&T. I know him from training, racing against him," said Samuel.
"He is a no-nonsense guy. He is a professional and no matter what they say he is a fair guy. He just wants to put the best team together.
"He has a reputation to maintain and is not into politics, so he has taken us from one big stride to another and I think the guys have a lot of confidence in him. They know they are all going to be treated fairly and with that, you always get true sportsmanship around the riders."
The local cyclists have several upcoming competitions with qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games being at the top of the list.
"No rest for the wicked we say," said Samuel, smiling.
"I think we are going to do pretty well up there but our main focus is trying to qualify for the Olympics and we should know that by February next year from the World Championships because they offer a lot more points for that so we not going know until February and once we can make it there, that's another big step. They are in good hands with Erin, that's for sure."
In Sailing
The winds finally came at Bahia de Paracas and T&T sailors Kelly-Ann Arrindell and Andrew Lewis finally were able to open competition in their respective women's and men's Dinghy Opening Series races.
Due to climate conditions over the previous two days, events were postponed to yesterday, the reserve day.
In their respective opening race, Arrindell placed seventh and Lewis, 10th. Competition continues tomorrow.
In Athletics
T&T sprinters Michelle-Lee Ahye and Kelly-Ann Baptiste will be on the track at the National Stadium first today, racing in the women's 100 metres semifinals from 4 pm. (T&T time).
Manager George Commissiong confirmed all is well with the athletes and they are excited to get started to increase T&T's medal haul.
"Cycling has set the tone concerning medal performance here in Lima and we’re hoping to at least maintain the momentum,” he said, adding that despite the cold conditions the local athletes are ready for the challenge.
“The weather in Peru is not as favourable as we would have liked but all the teams from the North America & Central America and the Caribbean (NACAC) region are also affected. As Caribbean islanders, some of us are perhaps more affected than others but we are adapting and trying to stay focused."
Today's schedule
Athletics
Women's 100m semifinals - Michelle-Lee Ahye, Kelly-Ann Baptiste, 4 pm
Men's 100m semifinals - Keston Bledman, Akanni Hislop, 4.35 pm
Women's 400m hurdles semifinals - Sparkle Mc Knight, 5.15 pm
Women's 800 semifinals - Aleena Brooks, 6.07 pm
Women's 10,000m final - Tonya Nero, 6.25 pm
Women's Discus Throw final - Portious Warren, 7.25 pm
Swimming- Heats (starts at noon)
Men's 400m freestyle - Graham Chatoor
Women's 400m freestyle - Giselle Gursoy
Men's 200m butterfly - Kael Yorke
Sailing
Women's Dinghy - Kelly-Ann Arrindell - Race 4, 5 and 6,1 pm
Men's Dinghy - Andrew Lewis - Race, 4, 5 and 6, 1.10 pm