By Philip Hackett
KINGSTON, Jamaica: Barbados took the lion share of the spoils in the men's events when the Caribbean Table Tennis Championships ended at the University of Technology, in Jamaica over the weekend.
Having secured the men's team title earlier in the week, Barbados added the under 21 title through a victory by Anderson Carrington over Kane Watson of Jamaica, and ended the regional championship on a high with the prestigious menʼs singles title after Kevin Farley defeated Remy Delange of Aruba in the final. Farley won 11-3, 11-4, 11-5, 11-6, to triumph in straight games.
Carrington beat Watson 5-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-5, 11-19 in the under 21 final.
While Farleyʼs victory over the Aruban secured the menʼs singles it was his brilliance against the highly rated Trinidadian Dexter St. Louis in the semi final that opened the door to winning the championship.
St. Louis, who is based in France, was the heavy favourite to win the title but Farley, like St. Louis a left handed player, avenged a narrow loss to the talented Trini last season to come out on top this time around and set up a shot at the championship by qualifying for the final.
Farley, a former Caribbean Junior Champion, beat St. Louis 11-8, 2-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-5, 12-10 in a thrilling contest, itself worthy of being a final.
The forty year old St. Louis was the only player from the English speaking Caribbean to qualify for the Beijing Games in August and this victory against such an elite player is one Farley will most likely cherish for a long time.
Trinidad and Tobagoʼs Rheann Chung, another player based in France, beat Corinne Vallant of Guyana 11-4, 11-4, 11-2, 11-3 to win the womenʼs singles. Earlier in the week she had led Trinidad and Tobago to victory in the womenʼs team event. She also joined with Astra Edwards to win the womenʼs doubles and with St. Louis to win the mixed doubles.
Alex Tertullien of French Guiana won the veteranʼs championship with an 11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 11-9 triumph over Ruddy Raga of Aruba.
Jamaica also won a gold medal through Yvonne Foster who beat Ashley Quashie of Trinidad and Tobago 11-8, 12-10, 11-7 to win the womenʼs under 21 final. |
