Bajan quartet crowned junior squash champs

Barbados’ junior squash players once again demonstrated their prowess at the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Eboni Atherley, Sumairaa Suleman, Ben Shepherd and Lenna Hamati were all crowned champions of their respective divisions when the tournament continued yesterday.

In an impressive display of skill, Atherley, who won the CASA Under-13 girls’ title four years ago, showcased her remarkable growth in the sport by capturing gold in the Under-17 division.

Throughout the tournament held at the National Squash Center and the La Vue Hotel Courts, Atherley exhibited exceptional form, leading to a flawless victory in the final against Jamaica’s Sanjana Nallapati, 11-7, 11-4, 11-4.

Suleman, seeking redemption from her 2019 defeat in the girls’ Under-15 division, won gold among the Under-19 girls’ by defeating Guyana’s Kirsten Gomes in four sets.

At the 2019 CASA Junior Championships, Suleman was defeated by Gomes in the final.

Despite losing the first game, Suleman bounced back with determination to clinch the title in a 6-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-6, comeback victory.

In the boys’ Under-13 division, Shepherd made his mark by claiming his first-ever Junior Caribbean squash title with a commanding performance, defeating the British Virgin Islands’ (BVI) Ethan Mohamed in straight sets, 11-1, 11-5, 11-3.

And in an exciting four-set match, Hamati won the girls’ Under-13 category title with a 11-7, 11-7, 10-12, 11-2 win over Guyana’s Kaylee Lowe.

Meanwhile, although Alex Stewart reached the finals of the boys’ Under-19 division, he faced a formidable opponent in Guyana’s Nicholas Verway, who emerged victorious 12-10, 11-1, 11-6.

In the 2019 boys’ Under-15 event, Verway took the runner-up position, while the title was claimed by Michael Alphonso.

This time around, Alphonso had to settle for third after losing to Stewart in the semifinals.

As the CASA Junior Caribbean Championships now shifts gears to the team championships, Barbados is eager to defend its girl’s title.

The Bajans are among 140 players from Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), the Cayman Islands, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and hosts St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the prestigious championships. (RT) ]]>