Fourteen-year-old Chelsea Edghill’s outstanding performance in the recently concluded Junior and Cadet Caribbean Table Tennis Championship in Cuba has qualified her for the Latin American Championship in Mexico in July.
She secured a silver medal, Guyana’s lone medal, in the Girls 15-and-Under final against Idalys Lovett Valdez of Cuba. In the tournament, she won two out of her three preliminary matches, won the quarterfinal and semi then put up a dazzling performance in the final. The top three players in each category were selected for the Latin American Championship which is considered very high level.
About 15 world class teams are expected to take part. In an interview with Edghill and her coach Idi Lewis, Lewis told this publication that the tournament is one that can boost or drop world rankings. When asked about his opinion of Edghill’s performance in Cuba, Lewis said she was exceptional.
“She was playing against experienced players but she was so focused that she appeared on par with them. Even though she lost in the final, she gave her opponent a tough time,” boasted Lewis.
Edghill said her experience in Cuba was an important one for her as it gave her the opportunity to converse with the players during the three-day training camp prior to the championships.
When asked about her mindset going into the matches with players far more experienced than she was, she said over the years she played to develop herself not just win, so she was not nervous.
“I have been playing in the Junior and Cadet Caribbean Championship for six years now so I’m accustomed to it; and since I won a gold in 2010 in the Under-13, I told myself if I really wanted to win, I can win,” posited Chelsea. She added that even though she was not as experienced as her opponents, she was better than them.
The Bishop’s High School student noted that apart from table work and physical training she needs more exposure overseas to be ready for Mexico because the local tournaments are not that challenging since she competes among one set of players all the time, which in and of itself is an impediment.
Her coach added that they are looking at three overseas tournaments and a training camp to give her more exposure. But according to him the tours and camp will be expensive so they are appealing to corporate Guyana to recognise Chelsea’s potential and come on board to help her make herself and Guyana proud.
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