Tennis News of 2012-10-12

Abrefa regains number one rank in Ghana Table Tennis

Derek Abrefa of Ghana Immigration Service regained his enviable top position in Ghana Table Tennis when he beat Felix Lartey in the finals of the one day Ghana Table Tennis Open Championship played at the rlg Hathiramani Hall of the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday October 6, 2012. He displayed good sense of judgment, tactical discipline and patience to beat the more aggressive former champion, also of the Immigration Service. Emmanuel Commey, another Immigration Service personnel beat Adolf Awortw in the third place game. The two semi finalists from the Immigration Service also put up wonderful performance to the delight of fans that were at the Hathiramani Hall to see the Championship. In the ladies category, Cylia Baah-Danso lost her title as number one seed to Cynthia Kwabi who beat Linda Annor in the ladies finals. Baah-Danso settled for the third position after disposing off Bernice Borquaye of the Ghana Armed Forces, the nursing mother who was able to make it to the top four said she had not trained enough for the championships due to short notice, but hoped to bounce back in grand style. The event was sponsored by Seven Great Princess Academy School and Malas Iced Blocks Company Ltd. Presenting prizes to the winners, Madam Evert Brown of Seven Great Princes School said there are vast talents to be tapped in the game and every effort must be made available for Ghana Table Tennis to develop to the international level. She wondered why an event like the Championship was not held every month to unearth new talents and keep the top seeds always active. Coach Owusu Ansah donated sets of table tennis balls to the regions that brought players to the event. Akeem Brookman from the Ashanti region told yours truly his players do not have the equipment to train which is why they couldn’t get a top 4 place, but believes with time, the National Sports Authority will get the right tables, bats and balls to produce champions from the region that is noted to have produced most sports talents. Rev. Richmond Quarcoo, the chairman of the Ghana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) praised the players and urged them to keep on training for two more competitions before the year ends. He said lack of sponsorship is killing the game and appealed to companies and individuals who love the sport to come on board to make Table Tennis better in Ghana. “Please do not go home to sleep, keep on training as there is another event next month. There is no magic in sports, the only magic is training to become perfect,” Rev. Quarcoo cautioned the players. He added: “We want to appeal for support and sponsorship. Our equipment are quite expensive and we cannot manufacture the appropriate tables here. We also need good international standard bats and balls to produce quality players and champions.” Credit: Sammy Heywood Okine /