Whyte, Akindele impress at Portmore Missionary TT

Keeara Whyte dominated the Portmore Missionary Junior Table Tennis tournament in Portmore at the weekend, with controlled victories over national team colleagues in two separate age categories. Nigerian Adeniyi Akindele was in charge of the newly introduced men’s open section.

Slim and smooth, Whyte eased past Kayan Denton 18-16, 11-9, 11-9 in the Under-15 semi-finals before wearing down Karecia Peterkin 11-13, 11-4, 11-4, 11-5 in the final. In another close encounter, she bounced Peterkin 13-11, 13-11, 11-9 in the Under-19 semis to earn the right to face Denton in the final.

The first game in the final was close at 13-11 but, with advice from her St Jago High School coach Richard Davidson, she took charge and took the second game 11-5. An extended match looked likely when Denton went up 6-4 in game three but Whyte’s neat topspins pulled her even and away to 11-6.

Outstanding prospect GMarco Smith eased past Kamaul Ferguson three straight in the Under-15 final, and later faced the Nigerian in the men’s semi-finals. Despite smashing flurries from the youngster, Akindele was never really troubled, and advanced to the final 11-3, 11-8, 11-8.

In front of a fidgety audience at the Portmore Missionary Preparatory School, he took command in the final against experienced Rodger McKenzie in the first two sets, but the third was harder.

“Between McKenzie and I, it’s always tough because one thing I always have problems with is his serve. But I tried to take it easy, watch the serve carefully, and do what I’m supposed to do. But, trust me. it’s always very difficult between McKenzie and I. He’s a good player and I respect him a lot,” the winner said later.

McKenzie attacked him with explosive forehands played over the table and won the third at deuce, but Akindele broke away early in the fourth and led 7-2. Those tricky serves narrowed the margin to 8-5 when the Nigerian broke the flow of the comeback with a timeout. Then, with his powerful forehand topspin on display, he completed an 11-7, 11-3, 12-14, 11-7 victory.

This success followed his recent win at Excelsior High School and put a smile on his face.

“This is my first tournament in Portmore, so I feel happy winning the first time in Portmore. So we just need to go back to training and still work on some things. I still need to look on the video and work on some of the mistakes,” Akindle said

White wasn’t the only double winner at the event, as William Lei took the Under-9 singles 11- 7, 11-7 and 11-8 over Javier Spencer, and the Under-11 singles, after a 3-2 battle with Niquan Smith. The final score was 11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 6-11 and 11-3.

Ferguson survived a smashfest in the Under-19 final to edge Dominic Robinson 10-12, 11-3, 11-5, 10-12, 11-7.