TT badminton juniors stunned

Trinidad and Tobago junior badminton stars were stunned by the power and precision of their Surinamese counterparts in the Caribbean Regional Badminton Confederation (CAREBACO) Championships opening round team competition at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo, yesterday. The South American mainland-ers won convincingly 4-1 margin, a result also achieved by the Jamaicans over their Barbadian rivals. Both rounds of matches were contested simultaneously and by virtue of their victories, Suriname and Jamaica have installed themselves as the favourites to take the Junior Caribbean Badminton team title. These two will clash tomorrow in the virtual decider at the same venue from 4 pm. Today, Trinidad and Tobago will face off with the Barbadians at 9 am at the JP Complex from 9 am while Barbados juniors will face the might of the Dutchmen also at the same time. Following the junior matches, Suriname and Barbados seniors will battle for supremacy. Admission to these matches is $10 per person. In the opening stanza of the 2003 championships, the TT juniors were given a sound lesson in superior badminton skills and excellent positional placements. Under 19 triple-crowned champion Rahul Rampersad partnered girls title-holder Vicki Singh in the mixed doubles but they were unable to withstand the power and tactical play of the Surinamese pair of  Mitchell Wong Sodekrono and Stephanie Jadie and bowed out 1-15, 2-15.

There were more disappointment as Suriname’s champion Virgil Soeroredjo, who has campaigned successfully at the Caribbean level and other international tournaments, gave Rampersad no respite and triumphed 15-3, 15-4 in the key boys singles match. TT’s Under-19 runner-up Nichesha Blake restored some pride and hope when she downed Stephanie Esajas in a thrilling three-setter, winning 11-7, 3-11, 11-1. The scoreline was now 2-1 but the local girls tandem of  KellyAnn Sampson and Kimberley Clarke offered partial resistance but succumbed to the Jadie and Esajas combination, losing 5-15, 4-15. The real fireworks were reserved for the boys doubles and TT’s Under-17 champion pair of Justin Siu and Earnesto Dean were washed away and completely dominated by the experienced Surinamese combination of Soeroredjo and Sodekrono who wrapped up a convincing 4-1 victory over the locals. They won without losing a point 15-0, 15-0. Kirk Francis and Shawekka Phillips got the better of Barbados’ male junior champion  Rene Reifer and Sherika Waite 15-7, 17-14 in the mixed doubles to give Jamaica an early 1-0 lead. And then Casif Bernard smashed out Carlos Barrow 15-3, 15-0 in the singles encounter to advance the scoreline to 2-0. But Barbados bounced back and narrowed the margin to 2-1 when their girls’ champion Shari Watson showed her class and disposed of Tracy Morgan 11-5, 11-9 in the singles clash. Morgan returned to action with Phillips in the doubles and restored Jamaica’s lead and advantage with a thrilling and nail-biting 15-11, 2-15, 15-13 victory over the Watson and Waite combination. Bernard and Francis stretched Jamaica’s lead to 4-1 when they outplayed the Reifer/Barrow pair 15-3, 15-8.

CAREBACO Junior Team Champion-ship summarised scores:
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO lost to JAMAICA (1-4).
MD: Rahul Rampersad and Vicki Singh lost to Mitchell Sodekrono and Stephanie Jadie 1-15, 2-15.
BS: Rampersad lost to Virgil Soeroredjo 3-15, 4-15.
GS: Nichesha Blake beat Stephanie Esajas 11-7, 3-11, 11-1.
GD: KellyAnn Sampson and Kimberley Clarke lost to Jadie and Esajas 5-15, 4-15.
BD: Justin Siu and Earnesto Dean lost to Soeroredjo and Sodekrono 0-15, 0-15.
 JAMAICA beat BARBADOS (4-1).
MD: Kirk Francis and Shawekka Phillips beat Rene Reifer and Shari Watson 15-7, 17-14.
BS: Casif Bernard beat Carlos Barrow 15-3, 15-0.
GS: Tracy Morgan lost to Shari Watson 5-11, 9-11.
GD: Morgan and Phillips beat Watson and Waite 15-11, 2-15, 15-13.
BD: Bernard and Francis beat Reifer and Barrow 15-3, 15-8.