4:30pm Tuesday 9th April 2013
By Echo Reporter
THE Nigel Miller Junior Badminton Tournament at Redlands Community Sports Hub proved a great success.
The event comprised of 15 entrants aged between 12 and 16, which were split into three groups – under-13 boys, under-16 boys and one group of four girls.
The tournament was handicapped by age and followed a round-robin format, which produced some fantastic performances.
James Mathie and David Mitchell both came through the under-13s section to reach the semi-finals where they met under-16 qualifiers Charlie Squibb and Sam Chaloner.
Chaloner, 13, was given a nine-point advantage in his last-four tie against 16-year-old Squibb but the latter powered through to a 21-10 victory.
In the other semi, Mathie was handed an eight-point head-start against Mitchell. The 13-year-old was two years younger than his opponent but he managed to hold on to record a 21-16 success.
The final was a best-of-three-games shootout and it included some excellent rallies and drop shots as both players refused to give an inch in the quest for the title.
With Mathie holding a 13-point advantage at the start of each game the encounter also tested Squibb’s mental approach. In the end though, the older player held his nerve to edge the match 21-17, 15-21, 21-17.
The girls’ group saw Hannah Kelly (16), Emma Osborne (15), Lauren Scott (15) and defending champion Molly Suter (14) all do battle and the quality of play was excellent.
The quartet all fought hard but once again it was Suter that excelled by winning all eight of her games. Osborne finished runner-up with five victories.
Coach Liz Osborne said: “Excellent badminton was played in what was a truly admirable performance from all the players.
“They were focused and gave 100 per cent. They certainly showed their ‘true feathers’ and I am very proud of them all.”
Shuttlebusters is a youth badminton club that was started by Liz Osborne, a Level Two qualified badminton coach, in February 2006.
Children, from the age of 10, play every Tuesday evening at Redlands Community Sports Hub and Saturday mornings at the Weymouth College Sports Centre.
In-club tournaments, competitions and matches against other junior clubs are also held regularly and many members go on to represent the county.
If your child is aged seven or over and wishes to progress further in the badminton world give Liz a call on 837111.
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