CATHERINE SPICER has become the very first junior table tennis player from Trinidad and Tobago to obtain a world junior ranking.

The 14-year-old debuted on the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Cadet (under-15) rankings at #262 at the end of September but has since dropped three places because of inactivity.

Spicer was able to break into the rankings thanks mainly to capturing bronze medals in the doubles and team events of an ITTF tournament in Canada in August.

She also reached the ’round of 16’ in singles after also making it that far in February in her only other ITTF event in Venezuela.

It has been a very successful year for the youngster as she was part of the Trinidad and Tobago team, led by France-based Rheann Chung, which retained their title as team champions during the Caribbean Championships mid-year in French Guiana.

Spicer, who had also helped Chung and company capture the 2008 title in Jamaica last December, has been the dominant junior at home this season, winning multiple titles in several tournaments.

In the last few months she has captured the under-15 and under-18 singles crowns in the National Junior Championships and the Tobago Open, as well as the recent Pearl And Bunty Lara Age-Group Tournament.

Spicer was also triumphant in doubles in those tournaments and ended ’Tobago’ and ’Lara’ with three titles each and ’Nationals’ with four.

Her biggest disappointment, however, came in the senior National Championships when, overcome with nerves, she squandered five match points and lost her semi-final contest against Aleena Edwards, who went on to capture the title for the eighth time.

Spicer will next be in action in a couple weeks’ time in the under-15 and under-18 divisions of the Silver Bowl Championships. And then there will be the Scotiabank Schools Tournament and the Realiability Maintainance Services Limited Super Singles (an open tournament) to close off the year next month.

There are no more ITTF events for this season, but Spicer plans to play in two early next year-in El Salvador and Venezuela in February and March.