The Cayman Islands Table Tennis Association, including its president Robert Sairsingh and national coach Donovan Nelson, have reported “renewed momentum for the sport” following its recent Revitalization Rally and Mini Tournament.
The event, hosted at Kings Sports Centre, served as a showcase for the sport’s resurgence, culminating in a three-way playoff for the championship title between Michael Grizzel, Cristofer Dominguez and Matthew Gayle.
The playoff action began with Gayle securing a straight-sets victory with identical scores of 11-5 and 11-5 against Grizzel.
However, the momentum shifted during the second match when Dominguez faced Grizzel.
In what proved to be the most contested battle of the afternoon, Dominguez narrowly took the first set 12-10 before Grizzel fought back to claim the second 11-8.
Dominguez ultimately rose to the top, clinching the deciding set 11-8 to take the match 2-1.
The tournament reached its climax in a winner-takes-all showdown between the two undefeated players, Dominguez and Gayle.
Dominguez swept the final match 3-0 with scores of 11-6, 11-6, and 11-9 against Gayle to officially claim the championship title.
Gayle finished the day in second place, while Grizzel landed in third place on the podium.
Reflecting on the outcome of the event, coach Nelson emphasised that the tournament’s significance extended far beyond the final scores.
“This tournament wasn’t just about results – it was more about growth and the courage to compete. While winning matters, the effort, sportsmanship and commitment matter more; hence, I must say, I am proud of every player who stepped up and gave their best. Next year, we are aiming for bigger and better,” Nelson said.
The future of table tennis
Sairsingh said, “Looking ahead, the association is prioritising youth development, while actively seeking a dedicated venue to support structured training and regular competition.
“CITTA is also pursuing formal recognition of table tennis as a national sport and exploring opportunities to integrate the game into the national Physical Education curriculum,” he added.
The association says it welcomes engagement with “the ministries and departments responsible for sports and education to explore collaborative opportunities that support youth development, school-based programmes and long-term sporting growth in the Cayman Islands geared toward advancing table tennis development [locally].”
With this renewed momentum, the association remains optimistic that “with the right partnerships and support, table tennis can once again become a thriving and accessible sport in the Cayman Islands”.
