Yuvraj Dookram and Aleena Edwards both made successful defences of their respective men’s A-1 crown and women’s Open Division titles when the T&T Table Tennis Association Classified Tournament ended at the Central Regional Indoor Sports Arena, on Sunday.
In a keenly anticipated men’s final, 2014 national singles champion, Dookram of WASA outclassed 62-year-old 2013 national champ, David Mahabir 13-11, 11-7, 4-11, 12-10 to close out the two days of competition.
Earlier in the semifinals, Dookram stopped 2013 tournament winner Arun Roopnarine 11-7, 11-6, 9-11, 11-3 and Mahabir overcame four-time winner Curtis Humphreys 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-3.
In the quarterfinals, Dookram humbled Kirk Mohammed 11-5, 11-7, 11-7; Mahabir brushed aside Anson Wellington 11-5, 11-7, 11-7; Humphreys (C) beat his younger brother Alaric Humphreys 11-8, 16-14, 11-4 and Roopnarine beat Kenneth Parmanand 11-5, 11-4, 5-11, 11-8.
Eleven-times national women’s singles champion Edwards kept hold of her title by beating fellow University of T&T team-mate Brittany Joseph in a five-setter, 5-11, 11-5, 11-6, 4-11, 11-8.
Edwards reached the final by sweeping past Arima Hawks’ Linda Partap-Boodhan in a meeting of last year’s finalist, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 and Joseph disposed of PowerGen’s Catherine Spicer, 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 in their semifinals.
In the quarterfinals, Edwards overwhelmed her mother, Verna Edwards, Joseph ousted Chelsea Fong, Partap-Boodhan booted Nirveeta Ramcharan, and Spicer humbled veteran Merle Baggoo.
And in the A-2 Open category, Isa Mohammed defeated Anthony Laquis 11-7, 11-6, 5-11, 11-5 in the decider.
Mohammed earlier beat Davone Joseph 11-7, 11-6, 3-11, 11-5, and Anthony Laquis defeated Benoni Daniel of Bago 15-13, 11-9, 17-19, 8-11, 11-1 in their semifinals.