Newly elected Jamaica Table Tennis Association President Ingrid Graham.
On May 25, 2024, Ingrid Graham made history as the first ever female to be elected as President of the Jamaica Table Tennis Association.
Graham secured 14 votes compared to 10 received by her opponent Colette Palmer at the elections held at the Sports Development Foundation in Kingston.
“It’s really a great honour to be in that capacity,” Graham told Sportsmax.tv in an interview this week.
“It just tells to show our young ladies that the sky is the limit and nothing is unreachable to them as long as the interest is there and they love it and have a passion for it,” she added.
The journey to get to this point was not without its ups and downs according to the President.
“It was a strenuous journey and a tiresome one. Sometimes you think of giving up but when I look back on all the children and young ladies and the development of Table Tennis and where it really has taken them, I decided to continue,” she said.
Graham got right to work after winning the election with her immediate attention going to organizing trials to select Jamaica’s teams to the Caribbean Mini and Pre-Cadet Championships set for July 1-7 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
“In the one week that I was in office I was tasked with basically putting on a trial for the Under-11 and Under-13 Pre and Mini Cadets who should be going to the Dominican Republic from June 29.”
Graham says she has also reached out to a number of players and entities to try and send the “excellent” team of youngsters to the tournament.
“The good thing about this set is that we have five children on this team who are from the inner city and they are very talented. They love this sport and they put in their everything they have,” she said.
In addition to planning those trials, which were held at the Excelsior High School, Graham says her and her team are currently planning a one-day rally for Prep and Primary Schools.
“We have not had a proper competition since 2019. Last year, myself, Skills Unlimited Table Tennis Academy (SUTTA), the Kingston and St Andrew Table Tennis Association (KSATTA), and Supersonic Table Tennis Club and the JTTA, we all came together and hosted a one-day rally which was excellent and well supported by the schools. We even had sponsors come on board last minute to assist us,” she said.
“We’re doing the same thing this year. We’re currently planning that and I have to be seeking funding and resources for the team to leave on June 29 for the Pre and Mini cadet,” Graham added.
While admitting that a lot of work needs to be done, she remains confident that her and her team will be able to get the job done.
“It can happen and it will happen. It’s a lot of work but once the structures are in place and persons are dedicated to the cause, we will get there,” she said.
That team consists of First Vice President Andrea Murray, Second Vice President Simon Lei, General Secretary Sean Wallace and Treasurer David White. Wallace will be assisted by Konata Beluchi while White be assisted by Mark Edwards and Errol Howlett.
The Council members include former national champion Simon Tomlinson, current national champion Mark Phillips, Matthew Dawson, Kevin Peterkin and Lisette Wilson.
“We have a diverse team. We have persons in the field of media, accounting, persons who operate their own businesses. We are aiming for positive output, unity, transparency and accountability,” she said.
“We want the entire Jamaica to know that whatever we’re tasked with, we’re going to fulfil it. Each sponsor that comes on board, they will get a report of players participation as well as documentation of hos the resources were spent,” Graham added.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
JTTA selects 15-member delegation for Caribbean Mini and Pre-Cadet Championships
The Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA) has announced a 15-member delegation to represent the country at the Caribbean Mini and Pre-Cadet Championships, scheduled to take place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from July 1-7, 2024.
The delegation, which includes 10 players, three coaches, a team manager, and newly elected JTTA President Ingrid Graham, was selected following the successful staging of the 2024 National Mini and Pre-Cadet Trials held at the Excelsior High School auditorium on Saturday, June 1, 2024.
The players selected to represent Jamaica are: U11 Boys: Malone Bird, Yashma Anderson, Jathneil Todd, Rudane Hemmings; U13 Girls: Kira Scott, Christina Royes; U13 Boys: Anthony Bird, Ajani Spencer, Kyle Johnson, Andrew Anderson.
In addition to the players, the delegation will be supported by a team of experienced coaches and staff to ensure optimal performance at the championships.
The JTTA is seeking the assistance of donors to help cover the costs of airfares, accommodation, gears, and equipment for the team as the association is committed to providing the necessary support for the athletes as they prepare to compete on the regional stage.
In a press release, the JTTA expressed gratitude to the organizations and individuals who contributed to the success of the trials, including Excelsior High School, Mr. Desmond Palmer of Financial Management Services, Mr. Daren Mears (Herbalife Coach and Distributor), Gewo Jamaica, and Dr. Barrington Houston (KSATTA Director).
Reflecting on the previous year's performance, the JTTA highlighted the achievements of Jamaican players who secured two silver medals in the U13 Boys event and three bronze medals in the U13 Boys event at the 2023 championships. The association is hopeful that this year's team will build on that success and bring home even more medals.
The JTTA is confident that the selected players, with their dedication and hard work, will make Jamaica proud at the Caribbean Mini and Pre-Cadet Championships. The association is also excited about the new direction and leadership under President Ingrid Graham, who is expected to bring fresh energy and vision to the organization.
Wolmer’s completes dominant season with ISSA all-island U-19 boys' and girls' Table Tennis titles
Just as they did in the Urban Area competition, Wolmer’s completed the ISSA all-island girls’ and boys’ U-19 Table Tennis double at the GC Foster College Auditorium on Wednesday.
The girls’ team secured a dominant 3-0 win over St. Mary High to claim their third straight all-island crown while the boys’ team defeated Titchfield High 4-1.
Jamaica College defeated Titchfield 5-0 to win the U-16 boys’ title while Immaculate Conception beat St. Hilda’s 3-1 to win the U-16 girls’ crown.
For Wolmer’s Girls’ team members Gianna Lewis and Liana Campbell, this win was an excellent way to close out their respective high school careers.
“Very relieved to be closing out with the all-island title,” Lewis told Sportsmax.tv.
“My team and I knew we had to bring our A game one last time and we did so,” she added.
Campbell called securing all-island success for the final time a “surreal feeling.”
“We embodied our school’s motto, ‘Age Quod Agis.’ Whatever you do, do it well. I am so proud of the team and myself and we’ll continue to excel in this sport,” she added.
The team’s third member, reigning JTTA National Champion Tsenaye Lewis, also reacted to the win.
“I am very, very happy with this victory especially since this is my last year playing alongside Liana and my big sister Gianna,” she said.
Lewis will still be at the school next year and hopes for continued success going forward.
“This is definitely how I envisioned the end of this era but now I hope we can defend our title for my final year next year,” she added.
The Lewis sisters will now turn their attention to national duty when they represent Jamaica at the Caribbean Youth Championships in Santo Domingo next week.
“We are looking forward to competing and representing our country again,” Tsenaye Lewis said.
Wolmer’s wins girls’ and boys’ ISSA U-19 Table Tennis titles
Maroon and Gold were the dominant colors at the Campion College Auditorium on Tuesday as Wolmer’s copped both the ISSA girls’ and boys’ Under-19 Table Tennis titles.
In the girls’ final, the Heroes Circle-based school won a hotly contested final 3-2 against St. Jago High while the boys’ final saw them defeat Kingston College by a similar score line.
The girls’ final saw a Wolmer’s team boasting three national players, namely 2023 National Champion Tsenaye Lewis, her older sister Gianna Lewis as well as Liana Campbell facing a St. Jago outfit including two national players of their own, Kelsey Davidson and Keara Whyte, who was the runner up to Lewis at last year’s JTTA National Championships.
The tie began with Tsenaye Lewis defeating Kelsey Davidson three sets to one (11-9, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7) to put the Wolmerians up 1-0.
Keara Whyte then made it 1-1 with three sets to one victory over Gianna Lewis (11-6, 11-2, 6-11, 11-6).
Wolmer’s then restored their advantage when Liana Campbell beat Leanna Smith by three sets to one (6-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8).
In what was perhaps the tie’s most anticipated clash, Tsenaye and Keara White then had a rematch of the 2023 National Championship final with Lewis having the chance to clinch the title for Wolmer’s.
Whyte had the best possible start, winning the first two sets (11-9, 11-9) before Lewis came roaring back in the third set to win 11-6. The fourth set was then a back-and-forth affair, with Whyte eventually prevailing 14-12 to set up the title-deciding match between Gianna Lewis and Kelsey Davidson.
In the decider, Lewis won the first two sets (11-2, 11-6) before Davidson got on the board in the third (11-9) before Lewis won the fourth (11-9) to secure the title for Wolmer’s.
For Lewis (Gianna) and Campbell, this title meant a lot more as they are both outgoing seniors.
“I am overjoyed to be leaving with this title. My team and I have worked hard and we made it our goal to ensure we take home the gold again this year as our final hoorah,” Lewis told SportsMax.tv.
“My sister Tsenaye, Liana and I realized that this day would come when the more experienced players will leave Wolmer’s so we have prioritized training and motivating the next generation of players,” she added.
Campbell described the win as “an incredible and bittersweet feeling.”
“Ending my last year victorious is such an awarding and joyous feeling. Sharing that with the team creates another fond memory to look back on as I go. I also feel a bit saddened as I’ll never be able to play another ISSA event and represent my school with my lovely teammates. I’ll especially miss the titular bis rides to matches where it was all smiles and laughter.” she added.
The boys’ final saw Wolmer’s take a 1-0 lead over Kingston College thanks to Joel Lamm’s three sets to one win over Javier Levene (11-3, 6-11, 11-1, 11-2).
KC got back on level terms when Gemarco Smith won a five-setter (16-14, 11-3, 4-11, 8-11, 11-9) against Wolmer’s captain Azizi Johnson.
Dominic Robinson then gave the North-Street based institution a 2-1 lead thanks to a straight set (11-2, 11-6, 12-10) win over Maleek Palma.
Wolmer’s made it 2-2 when Jayden Ebanks beat Alden Howard (10-12, 11-6, 11-6, 11-9) before Jelani Barnaby secured the title for Wolmer’s with a straight set win (11-9, 11-2, 11-6) over KC captain Chadwick Duff.
“For the girls, this is the third time that we have been champions. Originally it was U-16 but the girls moved up to U-19 and we were also the All Island champions so hopefully we can repeat that,” said winning coach Clive Grossett.
“For the boys, they also won in U-16 and now they’ve moved up as well. We’re now coming for the all island championship there as well,” he added.
Immaculate Conception High beat Jonathan Grant 3-0 to win the girls’ U-16 title while Jamaica College beat Kingston College 3-0 to win the boys’ equivalent.
The all island matchups will be finalized after the ISSA Rural Area semi-finals and finals scheduled for Friday at the GC Foster College.
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