President’s Games: Shutte Strikers top Badminton team competition

The Shuttle Strikers team emerged victorious on Saturday last as they championed the inaugural President’s Games Badminton tournament held at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.
The team tournament comprised 4 teams, all captained by national Badminton players. The teams competed in 5 events, namely boys’ and girls’ singles, boys’ and girls’ doubles, and mixed doubles; with one athlete being eligible to compete in only two events.
Led by Priyanna Ramdhani, the Court Conquerors comprised Joel Rambiriche, Joanathan Debidin, Yonnneil Benjamin, Naveah Eastman and Genvieve Bookram. Shuttle Strikers featured Akili Haynes as captain, with Frank Waddell, Gabriel Felix, Nikolas Pollard, Mishka Beharry and Minikshi Jaikissoon. Captain Nkosi Beaton and players Jonathan Robinson, Egan Bulkan, Ethan Bulkan, Gabrielle Felix and Malia Haley made up the Black Panthers, while Team Terminetters was led by Jaurel Hendricks and comprised Avinash Ramnarine, Ruel Rambiriche, Vishal Gopaul, Anjaynesa Godette and Leshaunte Berkley.
In the semifinal action, Terminetters defeated the Court Conquerors 3-2, while the second semifinal saw Shuttle Strikers dominating Black Panthers 4-1.
The Court Conquerors were on a high at the start of the first semifinal, leading the game 2-0 after the boys’ and girls’ doubles.

Court Conquerors’ Jonathan Debidin defeated Ruel Rambirche 21-12, 21- 18 while his teammate Genvieve Bookram got the better of Anjaynesa Godette 21-18, 9-21, 21-18 in the girls’ singles. However, Terminetters turned things around in the boys’ doubles, as Ruel Rambiriche and Vishal Gopaul teamed up to defeat Joel Rambiriche and Yonnneil Benjamin 21-14, 21-7.
It was smooth sailing thereafter for the Terminetters, with Anjaynesa Godette and Leshaunte Berkley claiming the girls doubles over Naveah Eastman and Genvieve Bookram 21-16, 21-10. In the decisive fifth game, Terminetters’ Ramnarine and Berkely joined forces to defeat Debidin and Eastman 21-16, 21-19.
The second semifinal saw Shuttle Strikers starting out with a loss in the Boys’ singles.

Shuttle Strikers’ Nikolas Pollard fell victim to Black panthers’ Jonathan Robinson 19- 21, 21-17, 13-21. However, Minikshi Jaikissoon turned thing around for the strikers, overcoming Malia Haley 21- 10, 21-6. The boys’ doubles saw Frank Waddell and Anjaynesa Godette getting the better of Egan and Ethan Bulkan 21-8, 21-11, while in the girls’ doubles, Mishka Beharry and Jaikissoon easily disposed of Gabrielle Felix and Malia Haley 21-13, 21-12.
Beharry and Waddell teamed up in the mixed doubles to secure Strikers’ win over Black Panthers’ Robinson and Felix 21-12, 21-8.
The Shuttle strikers then went on to make light work of the final, overcoming the Terminetters 3-0. In the boys’ singles, Shuttle Strikers’ Frank Waddell defeated Terminetters’ Ruel Rambirche 21-11, 21-12. The result was the same for Shuttle Strikers in the girls’ singles, as Mishka Beharry got the better of Anjaynesa Godette 21-10, 21-7. Shuttle Strikers then wrapped up the game early with a decisive win in the boys’ doubles, as their players Nikolas Pollard and Gabriel Felix fought hard in a three-set match to defeat Vishal Gopaul and Avinash Ramnarine 21-23, 21-19, 21- 15.
Each of the players featured in the Badminton tournament would be competing in the Regional CAREBACO competition from August 22nd to 25th.