Katherine Wynter was delighted to be national women’s badminton champion once again after she defeated Breanna Bisnott in the final of the All Jamaica National Badminton Championships that concluded at GC Foster in Spanish Town, St Catherine on Sunday.
The 25-year-old Wynter was also crowned Women’s Doubles Champion alongside Bisnott and Mixed Doubles Champion with Matthew Lee to wrap up a successful championship.
In the Women’s final on Sunday, Wynter, who lost her title as national champion in 2018, said experience proved to be the deciding factor in regaining her crown as the best female player in the country.
“It wasn’t my best game as I am battling a knee injury so I wasn’t able to move as I normally would. However, I was able to use my experience and tactical awareness to come away with the win,” said Wynter, who triumphed 21-15, 21-9.
By comparison, Wynter said, the final Women’s Doubles, in which she and Bisnott faced the pair of Rihanna Rust and Mikaelah Mustafaa, was ‘fairly simple’.
“We won in two sets (21-14, 21-11) and in the Mixed Doubles we played Garron Palmer and Breanna Bisnott and we won in two sets but the second game was a bit more challenging as they were able to deuce the game at 20-all but we were able to come away with the win at 23-21,” she said.
“So, the second game was a bit more challenging but I am just happy overall to come away with the win.
“I am very happy and proud to get back the title of number-one in Jamaica.”
Meanwhile, Samuel Ricketts claimed the Men’s Singles crown with a straight-set victory over Matthew Lee. Lee and Joel Angus won the Men’s Doubles title over Albert Myles and Garron Palmer.
Rihanna Rust took the U17 Girls title in straight sets over Jade Ranger while Nathaniel Finzi won the U17 Boys title defeating Keyon ‘dr McBean two sets to one.
Rust won the U17 Doubles final with Cara Fraser defeating Brianna Webster and Gabrielle Bailey in straight sets.
Finzi partnered with Zachary Lim Sang to win the U17 Doubles Boys final in straight sets over Khalil Gregory and Omari Swaby.
The U13 Boys title went to Amir McBean who defeated Jelani Nelson in straight sets while Rachael Givans took the U13 Girls title defeating Haley DaCosta in straight sets.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Shuttle Showdown 2024: Jamaica Badminton Academy's premier tournament to energize local scene
The Jamaica Badminton Academy is set to host the much-anticipated Shuttle Showdown Tournament 2024, which is set to take place over two exciting weekends, September 14-15 and September 21-22, at the YMCA. This event promises to be a major highlight for badminton enthusiasts, athletes, and the local community, offering a dynamic blend of competition, entertainment, and community engagement.
A key feature of this year’s tournament is the introduction of the “Beginner Category,” a new addition designed to welcome those who play badminton casually or are just beginning their journey in the sport. This inclusive category ensures that everyone, regardless of experience level, can participate, compete, and enjoy the game among peers of similar skill levels.
Spectators can expect a vibrant atmosphere with a modest entrance fee of just $500. Attendees are encouraged to bring their coolers to enjoy a lively and energetic environment. Traditional games such as cards, dominos, and loodi boards will be welcome, creating a festive setting that fosters community spirit and support for the players.
Sponsors will be on-site, providing an additional layer of excitement with opportunities for participants and spectators to win prizes. The tournament aims to bring together around 100 participants, ranging from ages 4 to 35, across various categories tailored to different skill levels and age groups. These include the Beginner category for new players, age groups from U9 to U15 focusing on junior players, and divisional categories for national and competitive local players.
The event will span two weekends, each packed with thrilling badminton action. The first weekend, September 14-15, will feature matches from the Beginners and B and D divisions, while the second weekend, September 21-22, will showcase the Juniors and A/Open and C divisions. Each day’s matches will kick off at 9:00 AM and wrap up around 7:30 PM. The tournament will conclude with a closing ceremony on Sunday, September 22, 2024, inviting all attendees to celebrate the event’s success and the achievements of the participants.
In recognizing the shortage of badminton tournaments in Jamaica, the Jamaica Badminton Academy aims to fill this gap by providing a platform for players to compete and improve their skills. The Shuttle Showdown also offers young and emerging athletes a chance to observe and learn from more experienced competitors, contributing to their development both on and off the court.
The Academy hopes this tournament will attract media attention and promote the sport to a broader audience, ultimately inspiring more people to take up badminton and strengthening the connections within the badminton community. The Academy envisions making the Shuttle Showdown an annual flagship event and has plans to introduce additional tournaments throughout the year, including a prep/primary school tournament. This initiative aligns with ongoing efforts to establish badminton programs in schools across Jamaica, furthering the sport’s reach and impact.
Hosting the Shuttle Showdown aligns with the Jamaica Badminton Academy’s long-term vision of promoting badminton in Jamaica and nurturing young talent. This event represents a significant opportunity to inspire the next generation of badminton players, offering them exposure, skill development, and potential scholarship opportunities. As Dr. Mathew Lee, Director of the Jamaica Badminton Academy, noted, "The exposure I gained through badminton allowed me to secure a $17.3 million JMD scholarship for my MBBS program at the University of the West Indies Mona."
Current sponsors of the event include Premier Optical, Lifespan Spring Water, Dr. Man-Gue Chin, Chas E. Ramson, N D Communications, and Shop Tech Goods. The support from these sponsors highlights the sport’s growing appeal and potential for attracting further sponsorship and investment, ultimately contributing to the growth and development of badminton in Jamaica.
Suriname’s Sören Opti loses first group match in men’s singles in Badminton
Surinamese badminton player Sören Opti’s Paris Olympic campaign got off to a losing start as he was defeated two games to nil by China’s Yu Qi Shi in Group A play at La Chapelle Arena Court 2 on Saturday.
Shi won both games comfortably with scores of 21-5 and 21-7, respectively, including separate streaks on nine and seven points won in a row.
The first game saw the Chinese win 17 points on serve before winning 15 in the second.
Opti is an Olympian who represented Suriname in the 2016 Rio Olympics and was selected for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but had to withdraw due to a positive Covid-19 result.
The 27-year-old is a six-time national singles champion of Suriname.
He will face Italian Giovanni Toti on July 29 in his second group stage outing.
Ricketts strikes gold at Torneo International tourney in Cuba
Jamaica’s Samuel Ricketts emerged champion at Cuba’s Torneo International competition when he defeated top seeded Yeison Alvarez two sets to one in Sunday's final in Havana.
After ousting the third seed Matthew Abela in the semis 21-17 21-3 in just 37 minutes on Saturday, the second seeded Ricketts outplayed Alvarez in the final 21-18 7-21 21-19 in the hour-long title decider.
In women’s play, Jamaican Tahlia Richardson advanced to the semis where she was narrowly beaten 12-21 23-21 27-25 by Nikte Sotomayor, the Guatemalan top seed who lost the final to Cuban Taymara Pupo.
Guyanese Priyanna Ramdhani reached the quarterfinals where she lost to Pupo.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
