Friday, March 29, 2024

Pilgrim crowned badminton king

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A new men’s champion was crowned when the Caribbean Alliance Insurance National Senior Badminton Championships ended on Sunday night at the Wildey Gymnasium.
Bradley Pilgrim took his first ever singles title when he dethroned five-time champion Andre Padmore 21-19, 22-20.
Mariama Eastmond defeated doubles partner Shari Hope 22-20, 21-15 for her second successive women’s title.
Padmore dominated the early exchanges and led 11-4 at the first interval and would later extend his lead to 17-9 after the break.
However, Pilgrim settled and started to play to the net, not allowing Padmore to continue to cut off his mistimed lobs with the around-the-head smash. This tactic forced Padmore out of position and into lifting the bird to Pilgrim, which he would simply dispatch.
Pilgrim scored seven straight points with some outstanding defensive plays to the delight of the crowd, to secure the first game point and the 1-0 lead.
In the second game, the scores were locked throughout but Pilgrim held firm. Even when Padmore reached game point, Pilgrim tied it at 20-all. When Padmore’s return from Pilgrim’s jump smash went into the net, pandemonium erupted.
Pilgrim’s win was the second of the night for him, and conversely Padmore’s second loss.  Both had contested the men’s doubles earlier in the night with their respective partners, Dakiel Thorpe and Kevin Wood.
Pilgrim and Thorpe retained their crown with a 21-13, 21-15 victory.
At the start of the night, Eastmond seemed poised to become the only triple champion, but, this was not to be.
In her first match, she and Hope defeated Monyata Riviera and Tamisha Williams 20-22, 21-17, 21-11 in the women’s doubles. 
She then turned to beating Hope in the women’s singles final.  Once again, Eastmond would find her back against the wall when she trailed Hope mid-way into the first game, but clawed her way back to take a 1-0 lead.
With the pressure off, she was able to dictate the tempo and eventually cruise to the win.
With the treble and history in her grasp, she teamed up with Thorpe against Sabrina Scott and Wood in the mixed doubles, only to lose in three games 15-21, 21-17, 21-15. In the decisive third game, Wood’s elevated play continued and Scott took her cue controlling the net. With the pressure mounting, Eastmond began to play too aggressively at the net, almost trying to single-handedly win the game rather than setting up the shuttle for Thorpe.
At times, she played Thorpe out of position by going for shuttles intended for him. With her weak returns Scott simply cleaned everything up at the net that came her way, to further extend their lead and foil Eastmond’s quest for a clean sweep. (SAT)
Summarized Scores
Women’s Singles Final
Mariama Eastmond def. Shari Hope 22-20, 21-15
Men’s Singles Final
Bradley Pilgrim def. Andre Padmore 21-19, 22-20
Women’s Doubles Final
Mariama Eastmond/Shari Hope def. Tamisha Williams/Monyata Riviera 20-22, 21-17, 21-11
Men’s Doubles Final
Dakiel Thorpe/Bradley Pilgrim def. Kevin Wood/Andre Padmore 21-13, 21-15
Mixed Doubles Final
Sabrina Scott/Kevin Wood def. Mariama Eastmond/Dakiel Thorpe 15-21, 21-17, 21-15

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