The Jamaica Table Tennis Association finds itself in a race against time to raise approximately US$33,000 to fund a 12-member team to the Pan American Youth Championships set to serve off from September 12-19 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Jamaica plans to send U19 and U15 teams to the championships but according to JTTA President Andrew Lue, while the association has a team on paper, they need to raise the funds that will enable them to confirm participation by September 3.
“We have received permission for all players in the team events to also play singles, doubled and mixed doubles so it’s an excellent opportunity for not only the athletes but for Jamaica to gain international ranking points. The US$33,000 (approximately J$5million) will go towards travel, accommodations, entry fees, gear, Covid tests and stipends,” Lue told Sportsmax. TV.
“International competitions are an integral part of our strategic development and Olympic road map for Paris 2024.”
The full team includes Tsenaye Lewis, Kelsey Davidson, national women’s champion Solesha Young, Neveah Scott, Joel Butler, Jon Pierre Daley, Christopher Lyn, Jayden Ebanks, Brian Blake, Matthew Fung, Garu Whyte and Rasheed Clarke.
There are four players to each team, Lue explained, U19 girls, U19 boys and U15 boys. The players who have qualified to play singles are Davidson, Lewis and Alessio Tulloch. However, Tulloch is unable to go and will be replaced by Rasheed Clarke, who won the U19 title at the recent national championships.
However, everything depends on if the JTTA can raise the money required.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Malone Bird’s Boys U-11 Singles run ends in round of 16 at Pan American U-11 and U-13 Championships
Jamaica’s Malone Bird made it all the way to the round of 16 in the Boys U-11 Singles category at the Pan American U-11 and U-13 Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic last week.
Bird, after getting through the preliminary group phase, made it through to the round of 16 thanks to a straight-sets win over Puerto Rico’s Caleb Portalatino (11-6, 11-6, 11-9).
His tournament than came to an end after suffering a straight-sets loss (11-6, 11-5, 11-6) at the hands of Brazil’s Joao Ribeiro who went on to lose in the quarterfinals.
The whole thing was won by the USA’s Chirag Pradhan who defeated his countryman Jacob Kordus by three sets to two.
Jamaica also failed to advance from the first round of the U-11 Boys’ doubles as Malone and Shacoil Bird lost in straight-sets to Argentina 11-7, 11-6, 13-11.
President of the Jamaica Table Tennis Association, Ingrid Graham, expressed joy at the performance of the brothers at the tournament.
“Win or lose, they are young and this is priceless exposure for the future. Very close matches and they are right there,” she said.
She also expressed gratitude to a number of sponsors that made it possible for the boys to represent the country in the Dominican Republic.
“We would like to express thanks to the SDF, JOA, OSIL, Sterling Travel, Friends of Table Tennis, Growth Sport and Western Sports for their support to make this possible for these young men to attend these games,” she said.
Malone Bird through to second stage of Boys’ U-11 Singles at Pan American U-11 and U-13 Championships
Jamaica’s Malone Bird successfully made it through to the second stage of the Boys’ U11 Singles competition at the Pan American Under 11 and Under 13 Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Wednesday.
Bird made it through the group phase after securing one win and one loss in his two matches on Wednesday.
After suffering a straight-set loss at the hands of Canada’s Daniel Liang (11-4, 11-9, 11-7) in his first game, he rebounded with a four-set win over Guatemala’s Omar Ixcaragua.
Bird won the first two sets 11-7 and 11-8 before Ixcaragua tried to mount a comeback with an 11-4 third set victory before the Jamaican shut the door with an 11-6 win in the fourth set.
Unfortunately, the second half of the Bird brothers, Shacoil, didn’t have the same success and failed to advance to the next phase after suffering a pair of straight set losses to Brazil’s Joao Ribeiro (11-7, 11-3, 11-7) and Ecuador’s Juan Gonzalez (11-9, 11-6, 11-1).
The draw for the second phase of the singles will be held on Friday. The Bird brothers will also take on Argentina in doubles on Friday.
Jamaica’s Bird brothers eliminated in Round of 16 of Boys’ U11 Team category at Pan Am U11 and U13 Championships in Santo Domingo
Jamaica’s team of brothers Malone and Shacoil Bird got as far as the Round of 16 stage of the Boys’ Under 11 Team category at the ongoing 2024 Pan American Under 11 and Under 13 Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The boys first advanced from Group 2 of the preliminary phase on Tuesday with a win 3-1 win over the Dominican Republic after suffering a 0-3 loss at the hands of the USA B.
They were then defeated 3-0 in the Round of 16 by Guatemala B on Wednesday.
Malone Bird and Gustavo Borrayo opened proceedings in the tie with a thrilling five-set battle which the Guatemalan eventually won.
Borrayo took the first set 11-8 before Bird won the second in a similar score line to tie the match at one-set all.
Borrayo then re-established a lead with a dominant 11-5 third set win before Bird rallied once again to win the fourth 11-6.
The deciding set was the least competitive as Borrayo ran away with an 11-3 win.
The second singles match between Shacoil Bird and Omar Ixcaragua was far less competitive with the latter winning in straight-sets (11-9, 11-6, 11-4).
The doubles encounter was next which the Guatemalans won in another five-set contest.
Borrayo and Ixcaragua took the first set 11-7 before Jamaica’s Bird brothers made it 1-1 with an 11-9 second set win.
Guatemala took the third in a similar score line as the first before the Jamaicans set up a decisive fifth set with an 11-3 fourth set win.
The deciding set was competitive with both pairs battling to an eventual 11-8 win by Guatemala.
Guatemala B got all the way to the semi-finals of the Boys’ U11 Team category where they lost 3-0 to USA B.
The category was won by USA A who beat USA B 3-2 in the final on Wednesday.
The Bird brothers will open their singles campaigns in the first phase on Thursday.
Malone Bird will take on Guatemala’s Omar Ixcaragua and Canada’s Daniel Liang in Group 3 while Shacoil Bird will face Brazil’s Joao Ribeiro and Ecuador’s Juan Gonzalez in Group 4.
They play Argentina’s Luca Marcial and Valentino Villegas in doubles on Friday.
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