Team Guyana continued its positive run at the Junior Caribbean Badminton Championships (CAREBACO) winning five gold medals and one bronze when the tournament concluded Sunday at the Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium, Barbados.
Saturday’s action saw the men’s doubles pair of Akili Haynes and Tyrese Jeffrey going down to Kennie King and Dominick Scantlebury 19-21, 21-15, 21-11 in the semifinals to earn a bronze medal.
Later, Jeffrey teamed up with Priyanna Ramdhani in the mixed doubles to beat Trinidad and Tobago’s Vance Jutiram and Chequeda De Boulet 21-11, 21-13 in the semifinals before taking the gold medal with a 21-11, 21-9 victory over Barbados’ Robyn Sobers and Scantlebury.
Ramdhani then replicated her heroics of last year to once again secure the gold medal in the women’s singles when she overcame Imani Mangroe 21-8, 18-21, 21-17. Ramdhani advanced to the final by defeating Surinamese, Kayleigh Moenne 21-8, 21-8 in the semifinals.
The National Sports Commission’s Junior Sportswoman-of-the-Year also repeated her golden run in the women’s doubles when she partnered with Trinidad’s De Boulet to beat Mangroe and Chaista Soemodipoero 21-18, 21-11. The pair had advanced to the final with a 21-7, 21-4 victory over Barbados’ Makaila Reid and Sobers.
Ramdhani told this publication “the competition was a bit tougher than last year because the opponents have improved quite a lot from the previous yeas but I managed to keep up and come out with three gold.”
She added that she believed her performance was good since she played “with her head on” and was confident that she could fight for every point.
In an invited comment, President of the Guyana Badminton Association, Gokaran Ramdhani said “their performances were outstanding and shows their training methods were in order and our coaches, Narayan and I did a great job to guide them.”
He added; “She [Priyanna Ramdhani] played very strongly and aggressively which made her came out successful.”
Today, the trio will be joined by their countrymen, Jonathan Mangra and Narayan Ramdhani for the Open tournament.
Priyanna Ramdhani will play in the women’s Open before teaming up with Barbados’ Subrina Scott for the women’s doubles and her brother, Narayan in the mixed doubles.
Narayan Ramdhani will battle in the men’s Open along with his men’s doubles partner, Mangra while Jeffrey and Haynes will team up for the men’s doubles.
According to Priyanna Ramdhani: “The seniors tournament will be tough for me because of players from all over the world at any age and level will be participating at a high standard.”
She, however, posited that once she plays to her ability she backs herself to come out with medals.
The association president said, “The seniors will be tough as 29 countries will be taking part as it’s an Olympic qualifier but we are hoping to try our best and get as much points as possible to qualify for Olympics.”
