Chung sent packing in women’s singles

TT’s top-ranked table tennis player, Rheann Chung, was eliminated from the women’s table tennis singles event at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, yesterday, after losing to Eva Brito of the Dominican Republic at the round-of-16 stage.

Chung, TT’s lone table tennis competitor at the Games, made a strong start at the Sports Complex Videna, winning the first game 11-4. The 34-year-old France-based professional, however, conceded quickly and heavily in the following four games, which she lost 11-6, 11-9, 11-8, 11-5, against the world’s 177th-ranked women’s singles player. The contest lasted just over half an hour.

TT was scheduled to compete in only three sports yesterday but only challenged two because of undesirable conditions for sailing.

Olympian Andrew Lewis was carded for three races in the men’s dinghy opening series, while Kelly-Ann Arrindell was set to line for three races in the women’s equivalent. However, the opening sailing events were postponed because of a lack of wind. The winds ranged between five and ten knots. Forecasts for today, however, predict winds between 11-22 knots, which is more favourable conditions for racing.

The pair are also expected to compete each day until Thursday.

In hockey, the national men’s team were in action against Canada at the quarter-final stage at press time last night. They lost their three group matches against Cuba (3-2), Argentina (6-0) and Chile (2-0). They faced an uphill task against a team, which won all three of their group matches, including one by a 4-0 scoreline against the United States. The winning team moved onto the last four stage.

The losing team will play another two matches in the play-off for fifth to eighth places.

Today, the athletics team gets their challenge underway, with the men and women’s 100-metre semi-finals among the highlight events. That final and several others will take place tomorrow.

TT’s medal count at the games stands at four, including two gold for Nicholas Paul in the men’s individual sprint and the team sprint, which included Njisane Phillip and Keron Bramble. Phillip also got a silver in the men’s individual sprint, while the lone bronze was earned by Michael Alexander in the men’s 64-kilogramme welterweight boxing event.