THE familiar thwack of shuttlecocks and the crowd’s roar echoed through the National Gymnasium on Friday evening as the Guyana Badminton Association’s (GBA) annual GUMDAC Tournament officially kicked off, promising a week of intense competition.

Anticipation ran high as Demerara and Berbice Badminton Club players stepped onto the courts, ready to battle across Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles categories.

GBA Vice-President, Mrs. Ayanana Watson, officially declared the tournament open, warmly welcoming participants and fans. She also paid a special tribute to Mr. Darrell Carpenay of GUMDAC, whose company marks its eleventh consecutive year of invaluable support for this prestigious event.

“We are incredibly grateful to Mr. Carpenay and GUMDAC for their unwavering commitment to badminton in Guyana,” Mrs. Watson stated, urging all competitors to “play hard, play fair and have fun” as they vie for top honours.

Opening night did not disappoint. It delivered a flurry of high-octane matches that showcased both emerging talent and seasoned pairings. Several contests went far, providing early drama and setting the tone for the championship.

Day 1 Highlights:

In the Men’s Doubles, the action was immediate and intense:

Vishal Gopaul and Ruel Rambiriche edged out a thrilling three-set encounter against Veerendra Bhagwandin and Jason Stephney (21-11, 19-21, 21-18).

Akili Haynes and Tyrese Jeffrey delivered a dominant performance, dispatching Nathan Mohanlall and Liam Brummell with ease (21-3, 21-5).

Anthony Stephens and Farid Khan battled through a tough three-setter to overcome William Holder and Raah Russell (16-21, 21-14, 21-16).

The Women’s Doubles saw strong performances from established duos:

Shivannie Persaud and Anna Perreira secured a convincing victory over Harshini Muralidharan and Gabrielle Felix (21-11, 21-11).

Priyanna Ramdhani and Mishka Beharry showcased their formidable partnership with two commanding wins, first against Asiyah Eastman and Leshaunte Berkley (21-6, 21-8) and then overcoming Muralidharan and Felix (21-6, 21-9).

Mixed Doubles action also provided its share of excitement:

Wen Yuan Chen and Asiyah Eastman advanced in a closely fought quarter-final, defeating Joanathan Debidin and Leshaunte Berkley (22-20, 21-18).

Frank Waddell and Anjaneysa Godette recovered from a set down to beat Caleb Tan and Harshini Muralidharan (15-21, 21-17, 21-8).