All female TT team to Commonwealth Games

In an unprecedented move, St Vincent and the Grenadines’ participation at this year’s Commonwealth Games, will have representation of an all-female Table Tennis team.

Jessica Carter

At 14 years old, Carter is one of the youngest persons to represent St Vincent and the Grenadines at the Commonwealth Games.

A fourth form student of the West St George Secondary School, Carter began playing Table Tennis four years ago. For her, attending the Commonwealth Games “ is an opportunity for me to be representing St Vincent and the Grenadines, but I never thought that I would have reached this far that quickly, since I have started playing Table Tennis”.

Not putting her expectations too high, Carter disclosed that she simply wants to do her “ best, because the Commonwealth Games are hard”.

Leah Cumberbatch

A recent graduate of the Girls’ High School, Cumberbatch has been playing Table Tennis for the past eight years. The 16-year-old entered the national limelight in 2015, when she was crowned the first ever Primary Schools’ singles champion. Cumberbatch was then a student of the Kingstown Preparatory School.

Additionally, Cumberbatch has won other National Junior titles. But she holds her selection to the St Vincent and the Grenadines team to the Commonwealth Games, as her biggest accomplishment thus far.

“ I always wanted to attend an international tournament, so finding out that I was part of the Commonwealth Games team, it was overwhelming and I am very excited to go and represent my country,” Cumberbatch commented.

Shanecia Delpesche

Delpesche is a 17-year-old fifth form student of the Troumaca Ontario Secondary School, who has four years of Table Tennis under her belt.

For Delpesche, Table Tennis is her only sport, having dropped Netball and Track and Field, after falling in love with the green table. Recounting her growth, Delpesche admitted: “When I now started, I was a bit shaky, but over the years I have developed confidence and skills.

Looking forward anxiously to the Commonwealth Games, Delpesche related: “I am really looking forward to the Commonwealth Games because it is the first time I am travelling to play sports and representing your country, you can be a bit nervous, but I plan to give of my best”.

Unica Velox

Velox is the lone member of the SVG team to have previously attended the Commonwealth Games , as she competed at the 2014 edition, held in Glasgow, Scotland.

“For me it feels good to get another opportunity to attend the Commonwealth Games…. When I attended in 2014, I was the only female then, now we have an all- female team”, Velox outlined.

Velox said that apart from competing, she has the role of bringing the younger players along.

One who has pouched several national singles titles, Velox has also represented St Vincent and the Grenadines at the OECS and Caribbean levels. However, with the years of experience, she is aware of the high standard of the Commonwealth Games, hence is realistic that she and her team mates are prepared to make the best of the occasion.

The four, along with Coach Sean Stanley are set to leave with the rest of the locally based St Vincent and the Grenadines contingent on Sunday, July 24, for Birmingham, England, the venue for the XXII Commonwealth Games.

The St Vincent and the Grenadines Table Tennis team is scheduled to be in action on Thursday, July 29.

The Commonwealth Games take place from July 28 to August 8.