Over 30 vie for national table tennis selection

OVER 30 of Trinidad and Tobago’s top table tennis players begin their quest for 2025 national team selection when a two-day trial serves off at the National Racquet Centre, Tacarigua, from January 4-5.

The trials will be contested to select players from six competitive categories, and will feature nine men, five women, five U19 boys, seven U19 girls, eight U15 boys and four U15 girls vying for team spots.

Their results after both days determine who makes the final cut ahead of the Caribbean Table Tennis Championships, set for April in Barbados.

Additionally, several foreign-based and local players earned automatic selection to their respective teams.

They are Crusaders’ duo Rheann Chung and Chloe Fraser, and QPCC’s Imani Edwards-Taylor. Crusaders’ Malik Gopaul and Powergen’s Josiah Joseph made the cut for the U19 boys team while Fraser was the only automatic pick for the U19 girls.

QPCC’s Jinai Samuel, Blasters’ Elizabeth Rajah and independent player Jannah Mohammed also sealed automatic team spots for TT.

Based on the TT Table Tennis Association’s selection policy, those selected will represent TT at regional and international competitions for 2025.

The Caribbean Championships also serves as a qualifier for upcoming events, and TT’s performances there will determine which other Caribbean and global tournaments they qualify for, such as Pan American Games and US-based tournaments.

TRIAL LIST

Men: Yuvraaj Dookram (QPCC), Curtis Humphreys (Wasa), Luc O’Young (Blasters), Derron Douglas (QPCC), Aaron Wilson (Blasters), Arun Roopnarine (Hawks), Khaleel Asgarali (Crusaders).

Wildcards: Josiah Joseph (Powergen), Malik Gopaul (Crusaders).

Women: Linda Partap-Boodhan (Tunanpuna Hindu), Jordan Thong (QPCC), Jerisse Elder (independent), Jinai Samuel (QPCC), Elizabeth Rajah (Blasters).

Boys U19: Sekel Mc Intosh (QPCC), Jonathan Cottoy (Harvard), Ameer Mohammed (UTT).

Wildcards: Gabriel John (Blasters), Samuel Humphreys (UTT).

Girls U19: Jordan Thong (QPCC), Jerisse Elder (independent), Lyllana Boodhan (Tunapuna Hindu), Yzabelle Morris (UTT), Makeisha Lewis (SUTTC), Nanyamka Peters (QPCC), Jinique Subero-Noreiga (QPCC).

Boys U15: Joshua Bhim (Powergen), Daniel Bhim (powergen), Aiden Noel (Blasters), Mateo Mollineau (Crusaders), Jonathan Alleyne (Crusaders), Ethan Mohammed (Crusaders), Nirav Bassant (QPCC), Jared Simon (Crusaders).

Girls U15: Nadira Rampersad (Oxford), Sophia Singh (SUTTC), Zuri Radge Coomar (Powergen), Hidayah Mohammed (independent).

Automatic selection

Women: Rheann Chung (Crusaders), Chloe Fraser (Crusaders), Imani Edwards Taylor.

Boys U19: Malik Gopaul (Crusaders), Josiah Joseph (Powergen).

Girls U19: Chloe Fraser (Crusaders).

Girls U15: Jinai Samuel (QPCC), Elizabeth Rajah (Blasters), Hannah Mohammed (independent).