Lewis backs table tennis team to succeed at Islamic Games

Chelsea Edghill
Chelsea Edghill

By Akeem Greene

The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) has grouped together a talented 18- athlete contingent for the May 12-22 Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku, Azerbaijan and coach of the five-member table tennis team, Idi Lewis is of the firm belief that the unit will do well based on their previous exploits at international tournaments.

Junior Olympian Chelsea Edghill, Trenance Lowe, current National Champion Christopher Franklin along with Nigel Bryan, Natile Cummings and Joel Alleyne form a team that can give Guyana medals at the event and Lewis is most certain of this possibility.

“I’m very confident the team will do well, especially the girls. We have had them together for a number of years, and we were able to expose them to some of the highest level of competitions in table tennis,” the player turned coach explained.

Both Edghill and Lowe would have been exposed to numerous Caribbean and Central America competitions, with Edghill attending the Junior Olympics in China in 2014. Experience is one asset of the racket-wheelers.

Lewis is not discounting the impact the men’s team can have since Franklin would have attended the Games before and reached the quarter-finals.

“We will be depending heavily for the guidance of Christopher Franklin since he is the only player on the men’s team to actually play high level of competition such as World Champions; he is also the only person to play the Games before and reach to the quarterfinals losing to eventual runner-up from Egypt,” the former national player stated.

The Games will also prove to be an opportunity for some members to gain international exposure and a way for some to face stiff competition ahead of the Caribbean championships.

The coach explained, “As for exposure, Nigel and Joel are getting to see this level of exposure and it is interesting to see how they [will] adapt to the level of exposure and the level of competition and this also can be used to get them ready for the Caribbean championships which coming up in a few months.”

Idi Lewis
Idi Lewis

 

A surprising omission from the squad is the talented Shemar Britton, but Lewis explained that he (Britton) was initially included but due to the clash with Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) and the event, he will no longer attend; however, his presence will be missed.

In preparation, the coach disclosed that the focus will be on mental training and a lot of tactical play and match readiness.

Meanwhile, Lewis was questioned on his viewpoint on the direction the sport is heading in Guyana, and he responded in the most affirmative way that it is progressing at an impressive rate.

Christopher Franklin
Christopher Franklin

 

Precisely he stated, “I think we are already going in the right direction in terms of the schools’ programme, so congrats to Godfrey Munroe [Guyana Table Tennis Association President] and the NSC [National Sports Commission] for putting together such a programme, I think the faster we get it up and running, it will be better for the sport and will bring mass participating which will improve the talent pool.”