TABLE Tennis Jamaica (TTJ) will be hosting the 2016 Caribbean Region Table Tennis Federation (CRTTF) Pre-Cadet Table Tennis Championships for the first time from August 22-27 at the National Arena.

The participating countries from the caribbean region are Trinidad and Tobago (TTO), Barbados, Guyana and hosts Jamaica. The organisers are still awaiting confirmation from the Dominican Republic of their participation. The teams are expected to arrive in the island on Sunday, August 21.

National coach, Stephen Grant, said he has a panel of eight coaches currently preparing the players at the National Centre of Excellence at the Excelsior High School auditorium.

The panel of coaches consists of former national representative Colin McNeish, current national representative Simon Tomlinson, Matthew Dawson, Gail Parham, Clive Grossett, David Hemmings, Paul Curtis and Richard Davidson.

Grant said the last time Jamaica participated in the pre-cadet championships was in 2014 where they won a bronze medal in the boys’ 11 and under team event, where only two players represented the country.

“Jamaica did not play badly last year and I think playing at home, they should have a very good chance of winning all four age groups for boys and girls… we have some very good age group boy and girl players, and are expected to be our future representatives from this early start at a competitive level,” Grant said.

Meanwhile, TTJ President Godfrey Lothian, said, they are currently behind in acquiring the funds to properly host the championships and to be very successful.

“The cost of hosting the championships is approximately $8 million and we are still in need of a further $5 million. We hope however that by the time the tournament begins we will be able to reach the target,” Lothian said.

In the five-day pre-cadet championships, Jamaica will have two teams each in the Under-11 and Under-13 for boys and girls.

In the 11 and under boys Team ‘A’ are Dujuan Jackson, Joel Butler, Matthew Fung and Jelani Barnaby, while Team ‘B’ consists of Andre Richardson, Justin Halstead, Demar Williams and Azizi Johnson.

Girls 11 and under ‘A’ team members are Liana Campbell, Kelsey Davidson, Rohanna Anderson, Tsenye Lewis, while Team ‘B’ are Jhannel Blake, Danielle Irving, Olivia Petrikin and Gianna Lewis.

The 13 and under boys Team ‘A’ are Derrick Francis, Jordan Campbell, Tyrese Nembhard and Cezare McGhie, while members of team ‘B’ are Stephen Jon Dixon, Jordon Wright, Leonardo Miller and Antonio Prendergast.

The 13 and under girls team will consist of Fiona Li, Solesta Young, Selena Kwalsingh and Lenna Smith.

The team events will consist of five singles and the team scoring three wins will be the winner of the tie. For the individual events for all age groups, there will be singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

— Gerald Reid