Bajans go down in table tennis

By Rohansonn Waithe

Barbados senior men’s and women’s table tennis teams suffered heavy defeats in team play on Tuesday’s opening day of the 2025 Caribbean Regional Table Tennis Federation (CRTTF) Senior Championship at the Wildey Gymnasium.

Competing from group one in the second set of matches, the Bajan men were brushed aside 3-0 by Puerto Rico in the evening, after the Barbadian women lost 3-0 to Cuba in the morning meeting.

Barbadian trio Tyrese Knight, Mark Dowell, and captain Kevin Farley were defeated in straight sets as their stronger Puerto Rican counterparts were just too hot to handle. 

First up was Knight who went under 9-11, 5-11, 9-11 to Angel Naranjo, after which Dowell lost 4-11, 6-11, 6-11 to Brian Afanador, prior to Farley’s 6-11, 10-12, 9-11 defeat to Oscar Birriel.

It was the second victory of the day for the Puerto Ricans who earlier defeated St Vincent and the Grenadines 3-0. Cuba also celebrated two victories by first defeating Jamaica 3-0 and then Trinidad and Tobago 3-0.

Dominican Republic beat Saint Lucia 3-0 in match one of group three.

Before the men’s evening encounters, Minister of Youth, Sports, and Community Empowerment Charles Griffith welcomed the Caribbean athletes from 12 countries and officially declared the games open.

Barbados women’s table tennis player Kenady King in action. (Photos by Rohansonn Waithe)

“It is an honour for all of you to be here representing your country because I believe that you are the best of what is available from your country to be here in Barbados representing at this particular tournament. I will be here to watch some of the games and I fully expect to see some of the names that are here today dominating at the Pan Am (Pan American) Games,” he said.

Earlier, Anthonette Riley, Angela Reid, and Krystle Harvey each lost their morning matchups to Cuba but fared slightly better than their male counterparts.

Riley was defeated in straight sets, 3-11, 4-11, 4-11, by Daniela Fonseca, while Angela Reid was able to win the third set against Estela Crespo but eventually went down in four sets, 11-6, 11-6, 7-11, 11-3.

Harvey had a bright start in the first set against Daniela Fonseca, but also lost in four sets, 11-9, 8-11, 4-11, 2-11.

The other women’s morning results saw Puerto Rico win 3-0 over St Vincent and the Grenadines, while Dominican Republic beat Jamaica 3-0.

The countries competing in the tournament are Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. 

rohansonnwaithe@barbadostoday.bb