GSA/Woodpecker squash…
KAYLA Jeffrey and Raphael deGroot dominated the Guyana Squash Association’s Woodpecker Products’ National Junior Squash tournament by winning the Under-19 Boys’ and Girls’ titles respectively.

Kayla Jeffrey, one of the Caribbean’s top Under-17 player, despite losing 9-11, 10-12, 9-11 to her twin sister Keisha in the final round of matches, came out on top in the Girls’ Under-19 category.

Like Kayla, Raphael deGroot also lost his final round match against Oliver Downes by a 3-2 margin but came out on top in the end. The final scores read 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 11-4, 9-11 in Downes’ favour.

Prize winners in the GSA/Woodpecker Products-sponsored National Junior Squash tournament strike a pose for photographer Sonell Nelson after receiving their prizes yesterday.

Kayla Jeffrey, one of the Caribbean’s top Under-17 player, despite losing 9-11, 10-12, 9-11 to her twin sister Keisha in the final round of matches, came out on top in the Girls’ Under-19 category.

Like Kayla, Raphael deGroot also lost his final round match against Oliver Downes by a 3-2 margin but came out on top in the end. The final scores read 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 11-4, 9-11 in Downes’ favour.

In an invited comment, GSA’s treasurer and former Caribbean champion Garfield Wiltshire said the tournament was a good one as it produced some good squash and the young players who contested the tournament should do well at the Junior Caribbean Championships in Barbados in July.

Wiltshire, who has been involved in the sport for a number of years, said he does not see the local lasses losing the title they won last year when the Junior Caribbean Championships were held in Bermuda.

Asked if the junior players who had CXC exams during the just concluded tournament will be eligible for selection to represent Guyana in Barbados in July, Wiltshire said that is left to the selectors to decide.

Kayla Jeffrey (left) and Raphael deGroot, winners of the Girls’ and Boys Under-19 categories respectively, strike a pose for photographer Sonell Nelson after yesterday’s presentation’s ceremony.

National coach Carl Ince, a Level 4 English-trained coach said deGroot has been involved in the sport for a number of years and this is the first time that he has won the Under-19 title.

He defeated Downes and Jason Ray Khalil in last year’s preliminary round matches.

deGroot told Chronicle Sport he is looking forward to representing Guyana at this year’s Junior Caribbean Championships.

He said at the last Junior Caribbean Championships he placed seventh in the individual category but won most of his matches in the team championships.

He said at the moment, his standard cannot improve since he is playing the same people on the local scene all the time.

Asked what’s next for his career in the sport, deGroot replied, I don’t think I have a future in the sport so I’m looking forward to going and studying mechanical engineering.

“I’m not getting the motivation to play squash because it’s the same people you play against every time.”

He said the just concluded tournament was not a difficult one for him and the only persons who gave him the competition he was looking for were Nicolas Narine and Jason Ray Khalil.

He further stated that he is looking forward to the Caribbean Championships since he thinks that he has the best chances of winning the Under-19 title this year.

Meanwhile, other winners in the remaining categories were Taylor Fernandes who won the Girls’ Under-11 title ahead of Lydia Alphonso and Rebecca Low in that order, Ben Mekdeci, who won the Boys’ Under-11 title from Matthew Phang and Alexander Cheeks, Akeila Wiltshire who won the Girls’ Under-13 title ahead of Gabriella Fraser and Larissa Wiltshire respectively, Nyron Joseph who won the Boys’ Under-13 age group ahead of Mekdeci and Cheeks respectively, Caribbean Under-15 Girls’ champion Mary Fung-A-Fat who won the Girls’ Under-15 title ahead of Caribbean Under-13 champion Victoria Arjoon and Christina Cheeks respectively.

Jason Ray Khalil won the Boys’ Under-15 title ahead of Joseph and Steven Xavier respectively, Keisha Jeffrey won the Girls’ Under-17 title ahead of her sibling Kayla, and Jason Khalil won the Boys’ Under-17 title ahead of Joseph and Steven Xavier respectively.