Table Tennis: September monthly challenge |20 September 2017

Sultan, Bristol, Youpa, Lépère, Dang-Kow triumph

Godfrey Sultan, Christy Bristol, Maël Youpa, Ryan Lépère and Terron Dang-Kow are the category winners of the September monthly challenge.

This was the sixth monthly challenge organised since April by the Seychelles Table Tennis Federation and the action on Sunday was at the Omni-Sports Gym, Roche Caïman.

In the men’s division one final, Sultan beat Mick Crea 4-3, Bristol won the women’s league, Youpa triumphed in the men’s division two league division, Lépère beat Eldon Barbé 3-1 in the boys’ division three final, while Dangkow won 3-0 over Luck Victor in the boys’ division four final.

Godfrey Sultan faced stiff challenge as he won his fifth title in the men’s division one. In the final, Sultan had to fight hard in seven sets to beat Mick Crea. He won the first set 11-7 but lost the second set 9-11. Winning the third and fourth sets 11-8 and 12-10, Sultan was unable to withstand the pressure from a combative Crea who took control of the table to win the fifth set 11-8 and the sixth 11-9. At this point, the game was level at 3-3.

The winner was to be decided in the seventh set which Sultan easily won 11-4.

Sultan said “the match itself was a bit difficult but my opponent was not that difficult to beat because I beat him 3-1 in the pool stage. I think tiredness played a role in forcing my game into seven sets”.

In the semifinals, Sultan beat Bjorn Mousbé 4-2 (11-4, 8-11, 11-4, 11-4, 9-11, 11-3) and Mick Créa defeated Nicholas Esther 4-2 (11-5, 11-7, 5-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11-6).

Esther, who lost the first three sets, managed to come back to win the last four sets to beat Mousbé 4-3 (7-11, 8-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-4, 12-10) to claim third position.

In the women’s division one, with only six players present, the competition was played on a league basis and Christy Bristol won all her matches on 3-0 scores to take first position and at the same time win her sixth monthly challenge title.

Second place went to Zahira Khattab and third was Angelique Volcy. Emma Bristol, Fatima Boniface and Aurelie Toussaint are the three other players who took part in the competition.

“The competition was very easy as a few girls turned up and the absence of others made the competition a little bit less tough. I don’t know why they are not turning up but the competition would have been tougher and interesting if they were present,” said Bristol.

In the boys’ division two, Maël Youpa was lucky as he won the title for a third time on set score difference.

Youpa along with second placed Parrick Dangkow and third placed Dylan Lafortune were locked on two wins with one defeat apiece. Elicks Rapide came out fourth.

Youpa beat Dang-Kow 3-1, Rapide 3-0 and lost 1-3 to Lafortune. Dangkow beat Rapide 3-1, Lafortune 3-1 and lost 1-3 to Youpa. Lafortune beat Rapide 3-0, Youpa 3-1 and lost 1-3 to Dangkow. Youpa said “the competition was not too tough. If I hadn’t missed a week’s training, I would have had performed better. On the whole it was OK”.

In the boys’ division three, Ryan Lépère beat Eldon Barbé 3-1 (11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8) to win his first monthly challenge since his return to the sport last August.  “I am very happy to win my first competition. It was very easy. I think I will win again next time,” he said.

In the boys’ division four

Terron Dangkow easily beat Luc Victor 3-0 (11-2, 11-2, 11-7) to win his second monthly challenge in the boys’ division four.

Third was Lucas Victor who won by walk-over against Caleb Constance. “My competition was very easy because my hardest opponent Gael Dugasse has moved to the higher third division,” said a smiling Dangkow.

P. J.