De Boulet wins first triple-crown at badminton nationals

MULTIPLE national junior title winners Chequeda De Boulet and Will Lee both added new feats to their already impressive young careers by winning their first ever respective women's and men's singles titles at the TT Badminton Association (TTBA) Senior Nationals, which concluded on Saturday.

De Boulet, 19, who copped a national junior triple-crown winner last year, also completed an incredible senior triple-crown at the national event, held at the National Racquet Centre, Tacarigua.

Following a comprehensive victory over multiple women's champion Nekeisha Blake on Friday night, De Boulet went on to face another experienced player in Rhea Khan in the final on Saturday. De Boulet made it look easy, sealing a 21-9, 21-16 victory.

De Boulet also faced Blake in another final, the mixed doubles. De Boulet partnered with Nathaniel Khillawan as the top seeded pair and faced Blake and Jade Allman, and won 22-20, 21-17.

For the women's doubles final, De Boulet and Johannah Walker – the top seeded pair – defeated Sandhya Cassie and Ananda Ramsingh, 21-18, 21-12.

De Boulet's efforts were recently recognised by the TTBA, which nominated her for both its Youth and Senior Sportswoman of the Year awards.

Meanwhile, Lee picked up two titles, the men's singles and the men's doubles.

In the former, Lee had to work overtime in his appearance against one of the country's most successful senior men's players, Alistair Espinoza.

In the end, Lee emerged victorious, winning the men's singles final, beating Espinoza 17-21, 21-10, 21-11.

Espinoza, the TTBA's nominee for Senior Sportsman of the Year, however, retained his men's doubles title, pairing with Lee, in an easy 21-9, 21-13 win over Allman and Vance Juteram.

Honour Roll –

Men's Singles: 1st – Will Lee (Shuttle Force); 2nd – Alistair Espinoza (Shuttle Force); 3rd – Sheraz Nabbie (Cristars), Jade Allman.

Women's Singles: 1st – Chequeda De Boulet (Shuttle Force); 2nd – Rhea Khan (PAP); 3rd – Sandhya Cassie (CBAC), Nekeisha Blake (FMT).

Men's Doubles: 1st – Alistair Espinoza & Will Lee (Shuttle Force); 2nd – Jade Allman & Vance Juteram (FMT); 3rd – Navin Gayapersad & Alan Umraw (Fins/Paragon), Leon Cassie & Richard Ramrattan (CBAC).

Women's Doubles: 1st – Chequeda De Boulet & Johannah Walker (Shuttle Force); 2nd – Sandhya Cassie & Ananda Ramsingh (CBAC); 3rd – Faith Mollah & Jada Smith (FMT), Simone George & Meera Mahabir (Samurai).

Mixed Doubles: 1st – Nathaniel Khillawan & Chequeda De Boulet (Shuttle Force); 2nd – Jade Allman & Nekeisha Blke (FMT); 3rd – Navin Gayapersad & Rhea Khan (Fins/PAP), Will Lee & Johannah Walker (Shuttle Force).

Doubles Over-35: 1st – Navin Gayapersad & Derek Singh (Fins/Paragon); 2nd – Ronald Clarke & Andre Lewis (Fins); 3rd – Christopher Joachim & Cedric Urquhart (Apexx/Regal Smashers), Rhea Khan & Alan Umraw (PAP/Paragon).

Doubles Over-45: 1st – Sunil Ramadhar & Vijai Samnarine (Paragon/PAP); 2nd – Ronald Clarke & Andre Lewis (Fins); 3rd – Kario Bernard & Mckenzie Joseph (Regal Smashers/Fins), 3rd – Myodeen Asgarali & Chamanlal Ramdath (SGCSA).

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