Table tennis: August monthly challenge-Esther and Bristol take home August titles |06 September 2012

Esther won the boys’ division one group which was played on a knockout basis, while Bristol was victorious in the girls’ division one category which started with a league before the top two met in the final.

In the boys’ final, Esther beat Dario Laurence 4-1.

After winning the first two sets 11-4 and 11-9, Esther let down his guard in the third allowing Laurence to regain the momentum and win 11-4.

 Esther regained his winning touch in the fourth set which he won 12-10 and maintained it to go on to claim the fifth one 11-3 to go home with the top prize.

Byron Mousbé finished third in the group.

In the girls’ division one competition, four players battled in a league before the top two finishers – Bristol and Stephanie Hoareau – clashed in the final.

After winning the first three sets 11-7, 11-9 and 11-8, Bristol seemed to be on her way to a straight sets victory, but her opponent put up a strong resistance in the fourth which she won 12-10 to reduce the deficit to 3-1.

 More experienced at this level, Bristol put her game back together and won the fifth set 11-6 for a 4-1 victory.

In the boys’ division two category, Mario Lablache was the winner after coming from two sets behind to beat Shawn Lai Lam 3-2 in the final.

After losing the first two sets 7-11 and 11-13, Lablache came back in the third and fourth sets which he won 12-10 and 11-9 respectively.

 In the decisive fifth set, Lablache once again outscored his opponent 11-7 for a hard-fought victory.

Bertrand Dine was the grand winner of the boys’ division three category after beating Dylan Siméon in straight sets (3-0) in the final. The set scores were 11-5, 11-8 and 11-4.

Mael Youpa finished third in the group.

In the girls’ division two competition, Emlyn Quatre emerged as champion after defeating Lana Robert 3-1 in the final.

Quatre won the first two sets 11-5 and 12-10 before Robert claimed the third 11-8. As she did not want Robert to tie the score, Quatre redoubled her efforts to win the fourth set 11-8 and clinch the August title.

Meanwhile, the September challenge will take place on Sunday September 30 at the Roche Caïman Omni-sports gym.

R. D.