The Jamaica Star :: Sport :: Badminton triple for Palmer

Keisha Hill, Staff Reporter

Chinese Benevolent Association's (CBA) men's open singles champion Garron Palmer collects the winners' trophy from National Baking Company representative Vivette Wallace.

Alya Lewis (left) and Nigella Saunders (centre) receive their ladies doubles trophies from National Baking representative Vivette Wallace at the end of the Chinese Benevolent Association's badminton tournament at the weekend. Saunders also took the singles title - contributed photos

LOCAL badminton star Garron Palmer defeated Gareth Henry of DeCarteret College 15-21, 21-14, 22-20 in the men's singles to capture three titles in the open division of the 10th staging of the Chinese Benevolent Association (CBA) Badminton tournament at the weekend.

In completing his 'triple', Palmer denied Olympian Nigella Saunders three titles as he teamed with national junior champion Mikaylia Haldane of Manchester High to defeat Saunders and Albert Myles 21-18, 21-19 to capture the mixed double crown.

He returned with Kirk Francis to take the doubles from Henry and fellow junior Chadwick Parsons in another fierce battle 21-15, 16-21, 21-19 before wrapping things up with the mixed doubles win.

Saunders' easy run

Saunders had a relatively easy run in her first two finals as she put away division B champion, Carla Grant 21-7, 21-8 in the singles and then teamed with her perennial partner Alya Lewis to a ladies doubles win over Shawnekka Phillips of the University of Technology and Cortia Boyd 21-8, 21-6.

In division C, Delsang Lue-Taim of Jamaica College and Shakeria Bailey of Haile Selassie each had double wins while first year veteran Dalton Reid took home the singles title. Most valuable player awards went to two Haile Selassie students, Stacy-Ann Blake and Tossainte Taylor.

The most promising awards were presented to Jahvaine Henry, an 11-year-old from St Anne's Primary and Gerald Isaacs of DeCarteret College.

In the veterans' division, Dalton Reid defeated Warren Nelson in the men's singles 21-19, 21-3. In men's doubles action, Richard Thompson and Andrew Rust defeated Dalton Reid and Lawrence Wong 13-21, 21-16, 21-16.

The next event on the calendar will be the Racketeers Badminton Tournament scheduled for the end of June. This tournament will help to prepare the team for the Pan American Junior Badminton Champion-ships scheduled for Guatemala in mid-July.