23-member ping pong team selected for regional, international tournaments

THE Trinidad and Tobago Table Tennis Association (TTTTA) have confirmed a 23-member team for regional and international competitions in 2025.

After their two-day trial event at the National Racquet Centre in Tacarigua on January 4 and 5, the top 17 performers joined eight other nationals who were automatic picks.

For the men’s division, QPCC’s pair of Derron Douglas and Yuvraaj Dookram, alongside Blasters’ Aaron Wilson topped their respective group matches to earn a spot on the team.

Of 15 matches played, Wilson emerged with the best record of 14 wins and one loss; losing to Crusaders’ Malik Gopaul. Dookram played 13 matches, winning 11 and losing two to clubmate Douglas and D’Abadie’s Everton Sorzano.

Douglas, who topped round one, won six of seven ties, losing out to Wilson.

With no automatic picks for the men’s team, the trio will fly the red, white and black for the rest of the year.

Joining automatic picks Rheann Chung and Chloe Fraser (both of Crusaders) and Imani Edwards-Taylor (QPCC), were QPCC’s Jordan Thong and Jinai Samuel. Thong won round one while Samuel took round two.

Making the cut in the boys’ U19 were QPCC’s Sekel Mc Intosh, UTT’s Ameer Mohammed and Harvard’s Jonathan Cottoy. They join Crusaders’ Malik Gopaul and Powergen’s Josiah Joseph on the TT team.

In the girls’ equivalent, Thong, Tunapuna’s Lyllana Boodhan and unattached Jerisse Elder won their respective rounds to join automatic pick Fraser.

The top performers in the boys’ U15 were Blasters Aaron Noel, Harvard’s Joshua Bhim, Crusader’s Mateo Mollineau and Powergen’s Aaron Noel.

Completing TT’s 2025 teams were Powergen’s Zuri Radge Coomar and SUTTC’s Isabella Myers. Their top performances on the weekend saw the duo join QPCC’s Jinai Samuel, Blasters’ Elizabeth Rajah and unattached Jannah Mohammed for the girls’ U15 squad.

These players will begin national representation at the Caribbean Table Tennis Championships in April, in Barbados. 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.