THERE WERE several new national age-group squash champions crowned on Saturday as the curtain came down on the veterans' competition of the
34th annual Barbados Olympic Association-sponsored National Squash Championships at the Barbados Squash Club, Marine Gardens, Christ Church.

The women's Over-40 event was a straight final and Ayoni Bradshaw prevailed over Cilla Seale in four games to win her first Over-40 title.

The men's Over-35 competition was a round-robin affair and top seed Mark Gilkes won all his matches in straight games to take his first
Over-35 title.

Tony Mackenzie defeated James Punnett to clinch second place, and Norman Rice placed third.

The men's Over-45 final was an eagerly anticipated clash between the top two seeds Mickey Armstrong [No. 1] and the defending champion Craig Archer [No. 2].

Unfortunately, Armstrong had to default due to illness, leaving Archer, a veteran sports administrator, the champion for the second year without having to break sweat.

Musician Dean Straker defeated locally-based Jamaican horse trainer Andrew Nunes 9-2, 9-1, 7-9, 9-5, to claim third place.

John Freer easily defeated Brian Robinson in straight games to win the Over-45 plate final [fifth place].

In the Over-50 final, the top seed and defending champion Orson Simpson was defeated by the younger and fitter Cliff Nolan in four games 2-9, 9-0, 9-2, 9-2. Once again this was Nolan's first age group national title.

The third-place match was the most exciting of the day, as Barry Gale was made to fight all the way by a plucky David Spink before Gale prevailed 2-9, 9-2, 10-8, 0-9, 9-4.

Spink later defeated Chester Haynes in straight games to claim his first national Over-55 title. (PR)