Tournament aimed at scouting players to prepare for the international tournament – National Coach Johnson

– As the Christmas Table Tennis Tournament gets underway

The Guyana Table Tennis Association will culminate its 2024 season with thrilling action at the National Gymnasium as the Christmas Table Tennis Tournament is hosted on December 21st and 22nd.
This tournament will see participation of over 40 players in the three categories being contested: Novice Open; “C” Class Open, which is Under-13 and U15 players; “B” Class Open, which Is National Juniors and Open Singles.

Guyana Times Sport caught up with National Table Tennis Coach Linden Johnson, who, in an exclusive interview, revealed that the aim of the tournament is to get young players and scouting players to prepare for international tournaments.
The GTTA hopes to have the tournament return to being staged monthly, he revealed.
“After a long time, the association we planted is to have a monthly tournament. Because of the pandemic, we have to restrict ourselves to having a tournament every month. But this tournament is a Christmas-Christmas tournament,” he explained.
“We want the tournament to be used by most of the young players. If you look at the categories, it’s obvious. C-class, we can plant something like Senior, Open. We try to get all the young players to see, and see exactly, who are the players that can be preparing for international engagements,” he added, as he said, “We are using this tournament to see the level, and how the players are progressing so far. Whenever we name a squad, we know exactly who it is. But next year, hopefully, we will start back the programme that we had. Maybe it will get to exist like an every-month tournament. We are planning to leave one in the school.”
Johnson has indicated that trophies and medals would be given to younger players, while the GTTA is hoping to gather sponsorships to aid in monetary prizes and trophies for players in the Seniors category.