jul.27.2009

Shammi Kowlessar-www.trinidadexpress.com
 
DEXTER ST LOUIS and Rheann Chung completely dominated Saturday's final day in French Guiana as Trinidad and Tobago swept the major titles for their very best performance in the 52-year history of the Caribbean Table Tennis Championships.

After leading T&T to both team titles for the first time in 40 years and only the second time ever on Thursday night, the France-based players were absolutely unstoppable on the final night of the one-week tournament.

St Louis, already Trinidad and Tobago's most successful male player in the history of the tournament, was crowned men's singles champion for a fourth time as he completely outclassed the field.

The left-handed 40-year-old, who had lost in the semi-finals last year, also combined with Curtis Humphreys to capture the doubles crown and with step-daughter Chung to secure the mixed doubles title for the third time and second in succession.

St Louis ended up with four gold medals from four events to match Chung's perfect record from last year's "Caribbean" in Jamaica.

The 23-year-old Chung finished with three gold medals this time as she and Astra Edwards were beaten in the semi-finals of doubles.

The former Caribbean under-21 champ, who had won the title with Edwards' older sister Aleena last year, brushed aside defending and eight-time national champ Aleena 11-3, 11-6, 11-5, 11-4 to be crowned Caribbean singles queen for the second time in a row and third overall.

St Louis, who did not surrender a set in the group stage, was also very stingy in the closing stages as he brushed aside Remy Claude Wilson of French Guiana in four straight sets in the semis and then hammered Barbadian Trevor Farley 11-1, 11-9, 11-5, 11-4 in the title match.

Farley and Krystle Harvey were no match for St Louis and Chung as they were humbled in three straight in the mixed doubles final.

Idi Lewis and Paul Davis suffered a similar fate against Humphreys and St Louis in the doubles final.

National A2 champ Yuvraj Dookram captured the first game of the under-21 final, but French Guiana's Rechy Parlton battled back to prevail 9-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-8, 11-5.

This country's other participants in the tournament were Anson Wellington, Michael Nanton and 13-year-old Catherine Spicer, who were members of the triumphant teams.

T&T won gold in six of the seven open events and it was by far this country's best performance in the tournament which originated in 1958.