Barbadian delegates headed to Egypt to promote road tennis

Road tennis is headed back to the Motherland.

For the second time in a year, Barbados’ indigenous sport is being showcased on the second largest continent in the world, this time in Egypt.

A four-member delegation comprising Director of the National Sports Council, Neil Murrell; Assistant Director Adrian Donovan; the island’s number one road tennis player Mark Venom Griffith and the highly-rated Darius Barracus Gaskin, left Barbados on Wednesday evening to take part in the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), which is being held in Cairo from November 9 -15.

It is the latest initiative by Government to promote road tennis across the world, and follows similar tours to Rwanda in 2022, Dubai, Canada, England and the US.

Speaking with Barbados TODAY at the Grantley Adams International Airport, Murrell explained that while the IATF is a cultural event, road tennis would once again be served on the menu.

“This road tennis team is part of a cultural team including the National Cultural Foundation (NCF), Invest Barbados and the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI), and we will be showcasing the best of Barbados culturally.

“Road tennis is part and parcel of the showcasing of Barbados and we will be promoting road tennis…We view this as something significant for Barbados and for road tennis on a whole,” Murrell pointed out.

He revealed that road tennis had been gaining traction internationally, particularly in Rwanda and Canada where Barbados had toured.

“These are the seeds for development. Persons would want to see the game being played live, even if they view it on YouTube or on social media, and by them seeing it they are seeing the rigour of the sport, the physical demands of the sport and the health benefits of the sport, live and in person.

“We think it is critical with those aspects going to various other countries and we have planted those small seeds in Rwanda, where the game has expanded within the Rwanda community,” Murrell disclosed.

“Within Canada one of the things that they want to use road tennis for is to deepen the community aspect and use it as a social and recreational game, because road tennis is so easy to set up and to play, and therefore, they see it as part of the whole aspect of having a game which will promote sport and family values, among other things.

“These are small aspects and of course there is much more work to be done, but the fact that we are spreading road tennis augurs well for Barbados,” he added.

Griffith, fresh off capturing his second successive Barbados Road Tennis Open title last month, told Barbados TODAY he was eagerly looking forward to the opportunity to showcase his skills.

“My expectations will always be to have a good outing and ensure that I do well and represent not only for myself but also for my country and it is a good opportunity to see the world once again through the eyes of road tennis,” he said.

Meanwhile, the soft-spoken Gaskin also said he was excited to be heading to Egypt.

“I’m feeling great about this trip. It’s been a while since I’ve travelled and I think it is a great opportunity for me to see new places. It’s going to be a great experience,” he said.

randybennett@barbadostoday.bb