For anyone who has been following badminton in Guyana, the Ramdhani siblings, Priyanna and Narayan, in the recent past, have been the dominant figures in the sport and their exploits oftentimes overshadow some of the other local talents.
The success of the Ramdhanis’ is certainly not an indictment on their part.
However, Akili Haynes is one such individual whose talents have been somewhat in the shadows of the Ramdhani siblings.
While it seems as if he hasn’t yet gotten his pound of flesh, the 19-year old Haynes, during a recent interview with Stabroek Sports, said being in the media spotlight isn’t his focus as he’s more concerned about his output on the court.
He added that the success of the Ramdhani siblings is more of a blessing to the badminton fraternity since he latches on to them for depth and insight into the sport.
“I have always looked up to the Ramdhani siblings when it comes to badminton,” he said.
“Though I felt that they were at an advantage, it was only because of their vast training and experience many years before I started,” Haynes, who attended Marian Academy throughout his academic years said.
“I took the opportunity and learnt all that I could from them to become a better player and represent Guyana at the highest level. I tend to shy away from the attention and spotlight, I mostly want my results to speak for me,” he added.
Haynes represents the Yonex Badminton Club both locally and on the international circuit. He has seven national caps and four medals to go with them. His major accomplishments on the local scene include winning the boys U-19 title two years in a row (2018-2019) and placing third in the Open men’s singles in 2018.
Internationally, his cabinet is decorated with bronze medals for his success during the 2016 and 2019 World Badminton Juniors event in the doubles category and silver during an Inter Guiana Games tournament.
On account of those successes, Haynes describes his initiation into the sport as being a natural one.
“I was very natural to the sport of badminton due to my past involvement in lawn tennis but also because my sister and close friend, Priyanna always asked me to play,” he explained.
“…Initially I joined my school’s club and after several weeks, coach offered that I go and play at his club. After consulting with my parents, I joined Yonex Badminton Club and the rest was history.”
Badminton has given him many life-changing encounters but the one that left an indelible imprint came in 2018 during the World Juniors in Canada where he was able to intermingle with his peers from around the world.
Following that experience, Haynes recalled that it was at that event he was able to realize where the gap lies between Guyana and the rest of the world.
“It really piqued my interest as to why Guyana is not on the same level as other countries. I took that time to learn as much and have as much fun playing against great competition.”
Now that he has more time to reflect on the sport due to badminton’s forced hiatus caused by the ongoing pandemic, Haynes said he has been watching a lot of old badminton videos to sharpen his techniques and skills. He works out weekly just to maintain his fitness and is also paying more attention to his academics and preparation for university life.
