GSA/Woodpecker Products

Jason Ray Khalil emerged as the most outstanding player when the Guyana Squash Association Woodpecker Products-sponsored national junior squash championships ended yesterday at the Georgetown Club courts.

The various prize winners strike a pose with their spoils along with Guyana’s squash queen Nicolette Fernandes (back row left) and national coach Carl Ince (next to Fernandes). An Aubrey Crawford photograph.

Khalil won the boys’ U- 15 and U-17 categories and placed second in the boys’ U-19 category.

Raphael De Groot won the boys’ U-19 category despite losing to top seed Oliver Downes yesterday.

Downes secured a hard-fought, 5-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-9, 11-4 victory over De Groot, but ended third in the category behind de Groot and Khalil after his upset loss to Khalil in the previous round.

Keisha Jeffrey won the U-17 and U-19 titles while Ben Meckdeci and Nyron Joseph won the boys’ U-11 and U-13 titles  respectively.

Other winners were Taylor Fernandes, Akeila Wiltshire and Mary Fung-A-Fat who won the girls’ U-11, U-13 and U-15 divisions.

Nicholas Peters received the Sportsmanship Award while Taylor Fernandes and Alexander Cheeks were declared the most improved girl and boy respectively.

The trophies were presented by Woodpecker Products representative Nicolette Fernandes, who is back home to continue training after a successful return to the international arena.

In his brief comments, tournament director Robert Fernandes thanked the Georgetown Club and its staff, the tournament sponsors and the coaches of the junior programme for the part the played in making the tournament a success.

He also made special mention of Mr. Dennis Dias and Connections Travel Agency for their generosity in donating a public address system to the GSA which will greatly improve the quality of the GSA’s tournament announcements.