BARBADOS triumphed over their Caribbean rivals to successfully defend their title at the Caribbean Junior Squash Championships that concluded at the Liguanea Club in Kingston, Jamaica last Saturday.
Meanwhile, the host country that harboured aspirations of finishing in the top three, finished sixth.
Having upset perennial winners Guyana last year on Guyana’s home ground, Barbados came to the competition to prove that 2017 was not a fluke. With three age-group champions in the lineup, their girls’ team proved to be as dominant defeating Guyana 4-1.
Under-17 champion Meagan Best dismissed Madison Fernandes 11-2, 11-1, 11-0; Under 19 Champion, Amanda Haywood trounced Rebecca Low 11-3, 11-2, 11-4, Jada Smith-Padmore beat Kirsten Gomes 11-7, 5-11, 11-6, 11-2 and Under 15 Champion, Sumiraa Suleman prevailed 9-11, 11-7, 11-5, 10-12, 11-8 in a gripping five-game battle against Abosaide Cadogan.
However, Rebekah Nichols’ 5-11, 8-11, 11-8, 2-11 loss to Georgiana Fernandes meant that the boys’ team final would decide the overall winner. Predictably, Caribbean Under 17 Champion, Khamal Cumberbatch and Under 19 Champion, Josiah Griffith delivered wins for Barbados with the former beating Rithew Saywack 11-3, 11-3, 11-6 and the latter taking down Alexander Cheeks 11-2, 11-3, 11-8.
Then Chemar Burnham lost 7-11, 5-11, 5-11 to Daniel Islam and that put Barbados fate squarely in the hands of young Aidan Parris who faced off with Michael Alphonso who had beaten him to in the finals to take the Under 13 title.
On this occasion Parris exacted revenge, keeping his head amidst the deafening cheers from rival supporters to post a 7-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-7 win and make it two in a row for Barbados.
In their final matchup of the team competition, the Jamaican girls rallied to end a challenging week with a win over Bermuda.
All Jamaica Under 17 Girls Champion, Mia Mahfood put Jamaica in the lead when she held off Charlotte Toogood 11-8, 11-8, 11-6; and then Mira Handa followed on with an 11-8, 11-8, 11-6 win over Hailey Moss.
Bermuda pulled one back when Mia Lake lost 6-11, 4-11, 9-11 to Abigail Brewer and then Jamaica fielded new regional Under 13 Girls Champion, Savannah Thomson and that settled the matter. Thomson beat Celia Robinson 11-2, 11-3, 11-2 to take the win for Jamaica and the girls finished 5th overall.
The Jamaican boys put up a fight but did not prevail against Cayman. Team captain Jonathan Walker and the dependable Karan Dhiman both delivered wins with Walker beating Isaiah Robinson, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7 and Dhiman posting an 11-5, 11-7, 11-3 win over Pierce Terry.
However, Brady Holmes lost 9-11, 8-11, 8-11 to Brodey McComb, Tobias Levy was beaten 2-11, 2-11, 6-11 by Jace Jervis and Kyle Haddad suffered a 4-11, 2-11, 0-11 defeat to David Pitcairn and Jamaica ended up in sixth place. (SportsMax)
