Cummings, Edghill, Britton advance at S/A Games

Oct 10, 2022 Sports

Kaieteur News – It was a good opening day for the country’s paddlers at the South American Games, with Chelsea Edghill and Natalie Cummings advancing in the women’s singles, Shemar Britton in the men’s singles, while the Men’s doubles and Mixed doubles teams also moved on to the next round.

Before showing her worth in the singles, Olympian Chelsea Edghill teamed with Shemar Britton to win 3 – 0 (11-6, 11-5, 11-7) against Bolivia.

Shemar Britton (L) and Chelsea Edghill advanced to the Mixed Doubles and Singles event at the South American Games.

However, Cummings and Christopher Franklin were not as fortunate in their Mixed Doubles clash, losing to Paraguay 1 – 3.

After taking the opening match 11-7, the Guyanese pair would go on to lose the other three matches 7-11, 2-11, 7-11.

Over in the women’s singles, Cummings got the ball rolling with her dominating performance over Peru’s Maria Vizcarra.

Cummings, coming off a good showing at the Commonwealth Games, won the four matches 13-11, 11-2, 11-5, 11-6 to set-up her round-of-16 showdown with Daniela Gomez of Chile.

Edghill, the first female player from the English-speaking Caribbean to compete at an Olympic Games, was in her usual no-nonsense mood against Valeria Zelada of Paraguay.

Edghill won her four matches easily (11-6, 11-1, 11-5, 11-5) and will face Peru’s Isabel Guevara in today’s women’s singles round-of-16.

Natalie Cummings’ superb run in the sport continues as she advanced to the Round-of-16 at the South American Games.

Guyana’s other female member of the team, Priscilla Greaves, despite her good effort, was not good enough for Argentina’s Camila Arguelles who won 4 – 0 (11-4, 11-3, 11-6, 11-6).

Meanwhile, Shemar Britton, the English-speaking Caribbean’s highest-ranked player was nothing short of brilliant in his textbook performance against Paraguay’s David Leon.

Britton won 11-8, 11-8, 11-5, 11-9 to move on to the Round-of-16.

Elishaba Johnson, competing at his first South American Games, was on the losing end of a seven-match thriller against Neycer Gavilanez of Ecuador.

Johnson lost the opening match 3-11 but bounced back nicely to take the second 11-9. Gavilanez would win back-to-back matches (12-10, 11-9), but Johnson would do the same, winning the other two 12-10, 11-6.

However, in the decider Gavilanez had the better of the Guyanese 11-5.

Brazil’s Raphael Turrini outplayed Christopher Franklin in their Men’s Singles match, winning 11-6, 11-4, 11-7, 11-6.

Apart from Cummings, Edghill and Britton in action today in the Singles Competition, Guyana will feature in the Women’s Doubles against Argentina, they will face the home side (Paraguay) in the Men’s Doubles, and Brazil in the Mixed Doubles. (Rawle Toney)