Rajkumar, Urquhart, Barnes, Tobias bag badminton titles

Trinidad and Tobago's Liam Rajkumar bagged three gold medals in the boys under-11 category on the final day of the 2023 Caribbean Regional Badminton Confederation Junior tournament on Sunday, at the National Racquet Centre in Tacarigua

TT's Amara Urquhart and T'Shelle Barnes were also in winners' row with two gold medals apiece in the girls under-17 age group .

Rajkumar got the better of Barbadian Liam Bruce to claim the boys' U-11 singles title 2-0 (21:15, 21:9). Rajkumar combined with Terell Gonzales to win the U-11 boys doubles final against Bruce and Jeremi Wight of Barbados 2-0 (21:15, 21:13). He added his third gold medal of the age group when he joined Asia Lee Waller to win 2-0 (21:13, 21:11) against Bajan pair of Anik Price- Soudatt and Yazmyn Eastmond in the mixed doubles final.

In the girls U-17 singles final, Urquhart defeated Barnes in straight sets 2-0 (21:11, 21:19) to lift the trophy. In the semis, Urquhart defeated Jade Asmoredjo of Suriname 21-10, 21-8 whilst Barnes won her singles semifinal over Emily Lewis 21-5, 21-2

Barnes exacted revenge as she partnered Jace Smith to beat Aditya Maharaj and Urquhart 2-0 (21:14, 21:17) in the mixed doubles U-17 final. In the previous round, the Barnes/ Smith combination won a close encounter against Jamaicans Jorie Mcbean and Jade Ranger 2-1 (21-14, 17-21, 21-17) while Urquhart/ Maharaj got past fellow TT players Kaveer Ramoutar and Kara-Ashley Robertson 2-1 (17-21, 21-19, 21-10) in the other semi-final.

Barnes and Urquhart partnered to defeat compatriots Yelena Lewis and Kara-Ashley Robertson 2-0 (21:13, 21:14) in the girls U-17 doubles final.

TT`s Vishal Ramsubhag outclassed top seed Nathaniel Finzi of Jamaica 2-0 (21:11, 21:17) to claim the gold in the boys U-19 singles. In the semis, Ramsubhag defeated teammate Aaiden Ramcharan 2-0 (21-12, 21-19). In the other semi-final, Finzi needed a comeback victory to beat TT's Ryan Sinanan 2-1 (17-21, 21-19, 21-13). Sinanan and Dejaun Williams copped the boys U-19 doubles title against Ramsubhag and Sameer Ali 2-1 21:15, 18:21, 21:14).

TT's Liam Persad captured the boys U-13 singles title after he edged teammate Chijioke Kalu 2-1 (21:14, 19:21, 21:13).

Tenniya Tobias won comfortably against fellow TT player Samiya Karim 2-0 (21:16, 21:10) in the girls U-15 singles final. Tobias played alongside Ethan Ramcharan to claim the gold in the U-15 mixed doubles narrowly defeating Joshua Lan and Riana Wijngaarde (Suriname) 2-1 (21:11, 21:23, 21:16). Tobias was on course for a third gold medal, but lose the girls U-15 doubles (alongside Aaliyah Urquhart) to Kimora Bissessar and Samiya Karim, also of TT, 2-0 (21:18, 21:11).