Friday, March 29, 2024

Pilgrim’s pain is Padmore’s gain

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LADY?LUCK smiled on Andre Padmore when he fortuitously won two of his three titles during the finals of the 2014 Caribbean Alliance Insurance Senior National Badminton Championships at the Barbados Community College on Saturday night.
But Mariama Eastmond made her own luck, overcoming tiredness to beat first-timer Tamisha Williams 23-21, 21-11 and earn her third consecutive women’s singles crown.
Padmore benefited from an injury to defending men’s singles champion Bradley Pilgrim which forced him to retire hurt in the first match.
Pilgrim was poised to repeat as champion as he dominated the play against Padmore.
With the score on 19-12 in Pilgrim’s favour during the next rally, he landed awkwardly and slumped to the floor. After some treatment, he retired from the match and it was awarded to Padmore 12-19, 21-0.
Pilgrim’s injury also directly affected the outcome of the men’s doubles final where he and his partner Dakeil Thorpe were favoured to win for the third consecutive year.
His inability to play meant the title automatically went to the pair of Padmore and Jade Browne.
In the women’s singles final, the two former Grantley Adams Secondary students pushed each other all over the court during some long rallies as they attacked the trams.
Having narrowly secured the first game, Eastmond went into overdrive even though Williams increased the tempo of her game.
It was clear Eastmond was somewhat winded but she effectively used time to gather herself and stay focused before cruising to victory.
In the mixed doubles final, Padmore got his third title when he teamed up with Shari Watson to defeat Sabrina Scott and Sabeel Foster 21-14, 21-15.
Scott had the opportunity to win the title for the second straight year with her new partner, but it was not to be. She played well, controlling the net and setting up for Foster but the combination of Padmore and Watson was simply too much.  Their movement and shot selection were the highlight, complemented by well-placed smashes. (PR/EZS)
 

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