RHEANN Chung was the lone Trinidad and Tobago table tennis player to advance to the round of 16 at the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador, El Salvador on Saturday.
The experienced Chung defeated Venezuelan Mariangel Diaz 11-3, 11-5, 4-11, 7-11, 11-5, 12-10 in the women’s singles round of 32 to move into the next round. On Friday in the round of 64, Chung got past Yasiris Ortiz of the Dominican Republic 4-11, 15-13, 11-7, 12-10, 7-11, 11-6.
The other women’s TT players lost in the round of 64. Colombian Juliana Lozada beat Imani Edwards-Taylor 11-6, 11-5, 11-2, 11-3, Rebecca Ayestas of Honduras was an 11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 13-15, 11-4 winner over Chloe Fraser and Keren Bolanos of El Salvador defeated Ambika Sitram 11-2, 12-10, 11-6, 11-9.
Three of the four TT players who competed in the table tennis men’s singles round of 64 on Friday advanced.
Khaleel Asgarali outlasted Guyanese Christopher Franklyn 11-3, 10-12, 11-4, 5-11, 11-6, 11-9, Derron Douglas defeated Genaro Roustan of Nicaragua 12-10, 9-11, 8-11, 13-11, 11-2, 11-8 and Aaron Wilson recorded a 15-13, 5-11, 11-6, 13-11, 11-5 victory over Haitian Donika St Fleur.
Yuvraaj Dookram was on the losing end for TT as Abit Tejada of the Dominican Republic got past him 11-8, 11-8, 11-7, 6-11, 7-11, 11-7.
On Saturday in the men’s singles round of 32, the trio of TT athletes lost.
Puerto Rican Brian Afanador cruised past Asgarali 11-3, 11-5, 11-3, 11-6, Costa Rican Daniel Araya defeated Douglas 5-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-5, 8-11, 11-9 and Sergio Carrillo of Centro Caribe Sports battled from behind to outlast Wilson 9-11, 11-7, 3-11, 14-12, 11-7, 11-7.
In swimming, both Dylan Carter and Nikoli Blackman qualified for the men’s 100-metre freestyle A final which was held after press time on Saturday.
In the heats, Blackman clocked 50.21 seconds in heat four to finish second and seal a place in the finals. In heat five, Carter was second in 50.37 to qualify for the final.
In beach volleyball, TT’s Apphia Glasgow and La Teisha Joseph are out of the main draw but continued competing for rankings. Glasgow and Joseph got past Cristina Almeida and Amber Bennett of the US Virgin Islands 21-18, 21-19. Glasgow and Joseph, who will finish between ninth and 16th, will continue competing on Sunday.
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