Chelsea has potential for international stardom

Jun 09, 2013 Sports

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-World C/ships in France, a big eye opener

 

By Edison Jefford
Guyana and Caribbean Table Tennis Champion, Chelsea Edghill recently competed at the World Championships in France where she battled Latin American standout, Columbia’s, Joana Araque and two-time European Champion, France’s, Marie Migot in the first round, losing to both of the exceptional players.
Chelsea and her Coach, a former Caribbean Senior Men’s bronze medallist, Idi Lewis, sat down with this writer for an Interview where they discussed the experience against the local level and her future among other issues. Below is the full text of the interview.
Edison: What do you believe the experience did for you more than anything else?

Chelsea: It showed me different techniques and it was a whole new level for me. In Guyana, the level is not there, so we need to train harder and figure out ways in which we can get to that level.
Edison: She is making the point that we have a far way to go in Guyana. You are her Coach; I think you need to comment on that aspect in particular…
Idi: As far as it relates to other countries, we at Malteenoes (Sports Club) are only limited to three days training per week, and Chelsea is preparing for her CXC Exams next year, so she has serious commitments.
In Guyana, its education first and sports after; in developed countries like France there is a way you could put sports first with education. It is very hard competing with that. Yes, we had some difficulties, but there is a lot more I guess we could personally do.
Edison: What you saw over there that you could perhaps import into her training regimen?
Idi: Nothing new really; I mean I know Chelsea, I know her strengths; the main reason for her going to France was to get her exposed to that level; for her to see what her international counter-parts are doing in terms of new serves and techniques.
Everything we do from here is preparation for the Olympic Games. It is good to start getting her exposed to these players from now.
Edison: Chelsea, you felt that you could have done better, perhaps won more games against your opponents. For instance, I noticed some of the games finished at 12-10 and most of them went deep eg. (Araque defeated Edghill 11-6, 11-8, 12-10 and 11-7). Would you call it a mental lapse in concentration?
Chelsea: Against the Columbian girl (Araque) I tried everything. I played my heart out. I kept playing harder and trying harder, but there was nothing I could do. I did my best.
Edison: When I read about Migot, they were giving her all kinds of nicknames like ‘The French Heroine’; so there was this hype surrounding her; coming into a contest against her with an entire nation backing her was challenging I imagine. How did that work out?
Chelsea: Well before the match I did not know who she was and it did not matter who she was. I did not care about that; I just saw her as another player I needed to play some good tennis against.
Edison: Two young players from two different parts of the world, it must have been a heck of a contest, how did you approach it?
Chelsea: I couldn’t really tell her age. But honestly I saw her as an adult that I need to bring my best game against her.
Edison: What is the most important thing you took away from the World Championships?
Chelsea: The experience of playing at the World Championships and playing against a French player that I learnt afterward is a two-time European champion and playing on table one against a full house definitely helped my mental game. It was a great experience.
Edison: Where does Chelsea go from here, your projections?
Chelsea: To do my best at the other competitions that are coming up and keep improving my performance and grow from strength to strength.
Edison: Idi, give me your assessment of where you see Chelsea going from here after seeing her compete at the World Championships.
Idi: I think she has the potential to be a world-class player; she got to work harder and we have to have an international schedule to keep her exposed; she needs to be on the international circuit playing these players on a regular basis.
When she goes out to play she is like ‘wow’ when these players just go straight into their game because they are used to being there. You can’t really coach that; that is experience; she needs that so that her game at that level can be natural. Our biggest challenge right now is making her comfortable at the highest level.
Edison: Chelsea, I know it is probably not your decision completely because you are still very young (15 years old). But on the subject of a choice to go pro (professional table tennis player) or academics, which are you more inclined to at the moment?
Chelsea: (After a long thoughtful moment) both.
Edison: But let’s say you go on the table tennis circuit, I know that would limit some academic work, do you see yourself making table tennis a career?
Chelsea: I am aspiring to do something academically in the field of sports; so it would be me just bringing the two together.
Following the interview, Chelsea and Idi thanked all the sponsors and those who contributed in any way to the tour. They thanked GTTA President, Godfrey Munroe, General Secretary, Linden Johnson and Arron Fraser especially for their varying support.

 

 

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