Staff Reporter
JAMAICA'S THIRD ranked table tennis player, Nigel Webb, returned to the island on Sunday after five weeks of intense training at the Shanghai Institute of Physical Education in China.
Webb was not only honing his ping pong skills but building on his dream of representing Jamaica at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece this summer.
Along with number one ranked compatriot Christopher Marsh, Webb will leave the island on Thursday for Valdivia, Chile where they will serve off against players from South and Central America and the Caribbean on Saturday for a spot at the summer Games.
Webb said his strongest competitors are from South America but that his experience in the Far East has made him an even fiercer competitor.
"South Americans are the strongest," he said, "but in China I played with some very good players. I experienced similar competitiveness from them that I will see from the South Americans ... so I'm feeling very confident."
Webb said that with the state-of-the-art facilities in China, his game has improved all around.
"My serves are better and I'm a lot quicker," Webb goads.
"My form has also improved a lot and I'm stronger and more flexible. The Chinese emphasise stretching," he said.
Webb said that the mental aspect of his game was also improved as he has a "better concept and understanding" of the game.
Vice-president of the Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA) and Jamaica's second best player, Peter Moo-Young, has been busy securing sponsorship for Jamaica's delegates and expressed great confidence in the possibilities of Webb and Marsh qualifying for the Olympics.
"These are the two players to represent our country," Moo-Young asserted.
Webb and Marsh will return to the island on February 21.
