Howard and Premraj take table tennis titles

Caleb Howard won the Male Open, and Loukhya Premraj took the Female Open, landing some heavy punches when the St Vincent and the Grenadines Table Tennis Association(SVGTA), held its last Assessment Tournament on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at the auditorium of the West St George Secondary School.

Howard defeated national singles champion Damion Dublin, 4/11, 11/7, 11/7, as well as veteran player and his former coach, Sean Stanley, 11/9, 5/11,11/3, as he won the doubles knock out format.

Like Howard, Premraj, also dismantled the national female champion, Leah Cumberbatch, 11/8, 5/11, 11/7, as well as newly minted SVG Community College Table Tennis Player of the Year, Jessica Mc Carter, 15/13, 11/13, 11/7.

Also getting Premraj’s heavy hand were Shanecia Delpesche, whom she defeated 11/8, 11/4; and Nyra Laborde, 11/0, 11/3.

The other two titles secured on the day were scalped by Juvante Baptiste, who took the Boys Under-15; and Zayden Cyrus, the Boys Under-19.

Playing a round robin format, Baptiste saw off Keron Huggins, 11/7, 11/4; Oran – Jay Williams, 11/7, 11/9; as well as Jadon Hamilton, 11/4, 11/5; and Kaden James, 11/4, 11/3.

Cyrus in the finals of the Boys Under-19, revenged an earlier defeat by Machalie Hazelwood, 11/3, 11/8, 11/8, when it mattered most.

In the process, Cyrus gave the Sean Stanley Table Tennis Academy a title, to stand alongside Premraj and Baptiste of the Spencer Table Tennis Club, and Howard, who is a member of JD’s.

Next on the agenda of the SVG Table Tennis Association is the 2024 National Championships carded for July 27 to August 3, also at the West St George Secondary School.