Teenage squash prodigy Meagan Best will lead a Bajan nine-pronged assault on the Canadian and United States Squash Opens from December 9 to 19.
The 15-year-old Best, who is the top local and Caribbean player, had stunned her North American opponents last year with a gold in Canada and a third place in the US.
She, along with St Michael schoolmates Kemar Lord, Aidan Parris and Zishan Motara, as well as twin sisters Jada and Jodi Smith-Padmore, Alex Stewart, Chelsie Samuel and Sumairaa Suleman leave for Canada tomorrow evening.
Only all-round sportsperson Motara did not take part in the Opens last year. The Canadian event runs from Saturday to next week Tuesday with the US competition taking place from December 16 to 19.
Former president of the Barbados Squash Association, Allison Smith-Padmore, who will be accompanying the team as a parent, indicated they were confident Best would achieve gold in Canada again with the possibility of matching that performance in the US.
“Meagan has been playing some great squash, and her game, along with her fitness level, continues to soar, so we expect her to be outstanding in North America once again,” said Smith-Padmore.
The twins Jada and Jodi have also been raising their game and last year Jada had finished 13th out of 31 in the Canadian. A first national crown at last weekend’s Juniors also bodes well for Combermerian Jada.
Best, who along with Motara, Lord and Parris, was praised by principal Dr Yvette Mayers, told MIDWEEK SPORT that although she was going up a year she was confident of doing well.
“I am pretty confident going in but I am still mindful that I am going up a division, my down year in Under-17. However, I have put in a lot of work and I am feeling pretty fit and strong.
“I am seeded 3/4 in the Canadian and in the top eight in the US. At the end of the day every time I go out there I go to win, and with God’s help, I’ll do it again,’ said Best. (KB)
