Moo Young ecstatic over singles success - Foster retains women's crown

Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Veteran Peter Moo Young captured his first national title, while young Yvonne Foster bagged her fourth in a row, in the respective men's and women's open final as the Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA) National Championships came to a close at the GC Foster College yesterday.

The decorated Moo Young turned back former two-time national champion Joseph Dibbs 10-12, 11-4, 11-7, 11-4, 9-11, 11-6, for an overall 4-2 win, while Foster had a much easier task with straight set wins over Shenique Clare.

"It's a great feeling I have been in this sport for over two decades, won lots of medals even at the Caribbean level ... but this one has always eluded me," Moo-Young said.

"This was my third or fourth final and it was really beginning to look like something that just wouldn't happen," he added.

The victory was an even more satisfactory one for Moo Young as he was able to defeat Dibbs, a man who beat him two years ago.

"The man Dibbs won in 2006 has been televised 100s of times, everyone seen it, people even as far away as Malta have called me about that game, it is very satisfying to triumph on an equal stage," he noted.

Correct your flaws

"I'm always learning. TT is a technical game, it's about working to correct your flaws, I have been working hard and today it paid off," he said.

Against Clare, 15-year-old Foster was in exceptional form as she coasted to an 11-9, 11-7, 11-4, 11-4 victory for a 4-0 win.

"I just came back from Colombia, so I think that helped a lot in terms of my experience in terms of even today's game," Foster said.

"Whenever I go out there, I always try to do my best and that is what I was able to do today," she added.

Girls Under-18 title

As expected, Foster also captured the girls Under-18 title when she got by Shaunda Brash 11-5, 11-5, 11-8, 11-5 for another 4-0 win.

Michael Cai lifted the boys Under-18 title when he beat Kareem Flowers 11-9, 7-11, 4-11, 11-5, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6 for a narrow 4-3 victory.

In the men's doubles final, Emani McPherson teamed up with Rohan Schloss for a 3-2 win, while in the women's doubles final, Clare teamed with Tracy-Ann Dattadeen to get the better of Foster and Brash 3-1.

St Catherine's Maureen Nembhard was crowned women's rural champion, while the men's rural title went to Portland's Alphanso Morris.