Rampersad, Singh head title hunt

National champions Rahul Rampersad (Under-19) and Vicki Singh (Under-17 and 19) will be at the forefront of Trinidad and Tobago title-chase at the Caribbean Regional Badminton Confederation (CAREBACO) championships. The annual regional championships will be contested in two phases at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo, over a nine-day period. TT, ranked fourth among the juniors, will be depending on Rampersad and Singh to finally overcome Suriname, Jamaica, Barbados, Puerto Rico and Guatemala in the team events which get underway next Friday from 9 am. There will be competition in four age groups — Under-19, Under-17, Under-15 and Under-13. But the TT Junior team will comprise mostly Under-19 and   Under-17 players. In the team event, there will be boys and girl’s singles, boy’s doubles, girl’s doubles and mixed doubles competition. Sessions will be from 9 am to 1 pm and from 6 pm to 10 pm daily for three days. Daily admission is $10, which will allow one entry while the season ticket is $40 and will allow the holder to witness seven days of exciting action up to and including the semi-finals of the International Section. The finals and closing ceremonies will cost $25 per person.

While Rampersad of Central Smashers captured the Boys Under-19 singles, doubles and mixed doubles title at this year’s Solo-sponsored National Junior Championships. He reached remarkable improvement, composure and by reaching the semi-final of the National Senior Championships. His mixed doubles partner Nichesha Blake is also on the team, which has been training assiduously under the guidance of former national champion David Lee Kim. Siu, like Rampersad’s feat in the Under-19 category, also experienced similar success at the National Senior Championships. He copped the Boys Under-17 singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles at the National Junior Championships. In the Under-17 boys’ doubles, he will be partnered by National Under-17 doubles partner Earnesto Dean. Narin Bhagwandin and Keeron Garcia were named among the male juniors. Vicki Singh, the Girls Under-17 and 19 singles champion, will team up Kelly-Ann Sampson, Kimberly Clarke, and Kerian Quan Chee. The RC Edge-sponsored TT seniors, ranked number two to Jamaica, will be led by national triple crowned champion Anil Seepaul, former champion and Cuba-based Darron Charles, Canada-based Glendon Thomas and talented Kerwyn Pantin. Among the women are eight-time champion Sabrina Cassie and her national senior doubles partner Zeudi Mack (10th time champion), former junior champion Nadine Julien, Kesma Bonito, Kimberley Lovero and Stephanie Mitchell. World ranked players from Japan, Germany, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Finland, Brazil, USA, Iceland, Peru and Iran have entered the International Section, which also promises to be very exciting. International players will get valuable points for the qualification for the 2004 Athens Olympics Games. These Championships have been upgraded by the International Badminton Federation (IBF) to a Grade “A” competition which allows the world’s leading exponents to participate and enhanced their chances of making it to the world-ranked premier events.

Schedule of Events for the 2003 CAREBACO Tournament are:
July 11-13: Team Events (CAREBACO members only).
July 14: Technical Meeting for Officials.
July 15: 19 International Open Individual Championship
July 15: 19 — Junior Individual Championships (CAREBACO Members only).