De Boulet, Espinoza shine at Solo badminton

BOTH Chequeda de Boulet and Allistair Espinoza of Shuttle Force battled for triple crowns when action continued at the Solo Senior Badminton Championships, at the National Racquet Centre, Tacarigua, Thursday night.

Following a second place finish at the group stage of the women’s singles competition, de Boulet met top-seeded Avril Marcelle (Fins), who took her the distance. However, de Boulet won 12-21, 21-13, 21-16 to advance to the final against the Nekeisha Blake (FMT).

Blake entered the final with a comfortable 21-10, 21-10 victory over Johannah Walker of Shuttle Force.

De Boulet and her mixed doubles partner, Espinoza, who eased into the men’s singles final, met their Shuttle Force teammates, Roger Moore and Walker in the mixed doubles final.

Espinoza/de Boulet enjoyed an unusually simple victory, 21-12, 21-11, over Leanna Castanada and and Jewhel Smith, while Moore/Walker also cruised into the final with their semifinal, 21-18, 21-12 victory over second-seeded Fins pair, Navin Gayapersad/Avril Marcelle.

The women’s doubles competition played in a round-robin format, which concluded last evening with a battle between Castanada/Latoya Waldrond versus de Boulet/Walker. The winning pair would capture the title.

Several other finals took place last night including the men’s doubles finals featuring Espinoza/Zion St Rose versus Travis Sinanan/Justin Siu (CATT); the Master’s +35 final between Navin Gayapersad/Andre Lewis (Fins) versus Rhea Khan (Petrotrin PAP)/Alan Umraw (Paragon); the Master’s +45 final between Ronald Clarke/Andre Lewis (Fins) versus Kario Bernard (Regal Smashers)/McKenzie Joseph (Fins).