Dublin doubly delightful

Damion “Pete” Dublin created a major upset when he won the Under-19 singles title of the Classical Rentals Easter junior table tennis competition, which ended last week Thursday at the Old Government Printery Building in Kingstown.

Dublin toppled Kamal Hunte, the number one junior seed, fresh from representing St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the Latin America Major qualifiers in Brazil last month.{{more}} Dublin triumphed 4-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 9-1, 11-7, and 13-11.

Hunte was alos a member of this country’s squad to the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Senior Games in Colombia, making Dublin’s win more meaningful.

Dublin reached the final with a semi final ousting of Richard Norris 11-7, 11-5, 11-8, while Hunte set up a meeting with Dublin with a 11-3, 11-5, 115 defeat of Kavir Gaymes.

Dublin also teamed up with Johnathan Daniel to hand Hunte his second licking in the doubles final. Sharing Hunte’s pain was Romano Spencer as the two were humbled 7-11, 11-3, 9-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-8, and 12-10. Rightly so, Dublin was named Most Valuable Player of the competition.

The other age category contested was the Boys Under-16. Emerging triumphant was Darel Dickson who defeated Luc Velox 12-10.15-13.11-8 in the final. Velox had advanced to the title decider when he left Dominic Evans wanting with an 11-6, 11-8, 12-10 defeat.

Dickson beat Gaymes 3-1 in the semi final. Dickson won the first two sets 11-5, 11-9, but Gaymes bounced but in the third with an11-9 win. Dickson sealed off the challenge with a hard fought 12-10 fourth set win.

Also sharing in the spotlight was an emerging player Mikel Cupid who was named as the Most Improved Player of the competition.

However, the competition did no have any female competitors, an observation made during the closing ceremony by President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Table Tennis Association, Sean Stanley.

The next assignment is the staging of the association’s Annual General Meeting where the elections of officers will be on the agenda. This meeting is expected to be convened next month.

Meanwhile the association plans to conitnue its Keep Fit tournaments.