Table tennis aces make top ten list as national team qualifiers continue

Brian Mutua and Josiah Wandera were the top performers in the men's category while Lisa Wale headlined the women's competition as Kenya Table Tennis Association (KTTA) began their national team trials. 

The association has adopted a new system of national team selection, geared towards uplifting standards while also keeping players engaged in training and competition over lengthy period.

The men, women, boys' and girls' categories will have ten players shortlisted to tier one of the pools with the remaining group being relegated to tier two.

Players battle it out for the 10 slots from where national team squad for future assignments, including the upcoming Commonwealth Games will be named. 

KTTA boss Andrew Mudibo, while explaining the new system clarified that none of the players had joined the national team yet. The top 10 players in tier one will, in April play a round robin to determine who is in the national team. 

"The players from Tier 1 who finish in positions nine and ten will be demoted to Tier 2, while the top two players in Tier 2 will be promoted to Tier 1 and in the month of May, they stand a chance of making it to the National team, if they win.

The national team selection will be continuous so any player has a chance regardless of the tier they are in," offered Mudibo adding that the junior policy and wildcard slot for all International assignments will continue to be in place.

On the weekend, during national pool trials played in a round-robin format, each region having selected it's top players to compete in the exercise Mutua and Wandera scored 46 points each while Peter Theuri scored three points less for third. 

Others making the men's tier one of the pool are Yona Owade, Kevin Mwangi, Kennedy Kojal, Michael Otieno, Alikhan Kazia, Allan Singara and Edwin Opondo.

Wale was the top player with 48 points winning all her matches to lead the women's category followed by  Sejal Thakkar with 42 Points.

Lydia Setey, Bahati Rufina, Mary Kinuthia, Audrey Oronda, Nelly Mutuma, Pamela Wekesa, Sandra Nyaga and Becky Masan have also made the first tier in the cutthroat ladies competiton.

The boys' pool has Iddris Kulubi who qualified first with 40 points followed by Zayan Pema who also had 40 points. Kavan Gudka , Kevin Muchoki, Ivan Yegon and Ahmed Noorani  also made the list.  

Khushi Malde was the top player in the Girls' category with 39 Points ahead of Joy Kimani, Ivy Wabomba and Edith Jeruto.