Digicel Senior National Squash Championship…Arjoon dethrones Joseph, Khalil win 1st National Senior title, Wilshire dominate Veterans

Jul 04, 2016 Sports

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By Sean Devers
Alex Arjoon dethroned defending Champion Nyron Joseph, former Caribbean U-19 Champion Ashley Khalil captured her first National senior title and former Southern Caribbean Champion Garfield Wilshire dominated the Veterans as the curtains came down on this year’s Guyana Squash Association (GSA) Digicel Senior National Squash Championship at the Georgetown Club yesterday.

Watched by a large gathering of mainly relatives of the players, Arjoon and Kristian Jeffery produced a gem of a final in the last game of the day with a riveting display of entertaining Squash.
The pair produced a magnificent level of skill and the battle was intense on the court and off it as tempers flared from heated exchanges of shots and taunts between the two. There were also several complaints from both players questioning the referee’s calls.
Arjoon came from behind to defeat Kristian Jeffrey 6/11, 11/9, 11/6, 11/3. The pair delighted the fans with high-level squash and several long and skillful rallies brought those in attendance to their feet in raucous applause as the players matched each other stroke for stroke in a ‘ding dong’ contest.
Jeffery, also a race car driver, had a hard fought 7/11, 13/11, 11/7, 6/11, 13/11  win in his semi-final clash against Joseph in a match which lasted over an hour on Saturday evening and maybe that took a toll as he seemed exhausted in the third and fourth games yesterday.
Arjoon, who won his semi-finals match against Jason Ray Khalil in straight games 11/8, 11/7, 12/10 on Saturday, said he had never seen a race car driver run out of gas after collecting his Championship trophy which filled the Camp Street venue with loud laugher. He also commended the Parents for turning up to offer support to their off-springs, something the sport is known for.
In the playoff for third place Jason Ray defeated Nyron 11/5, 9/11, 11/7, 13/15, 11/3.
Ashley Khalil defeated Akeila Wiltshire in three straight games 11/4, 11/7, 11/8. Both players had won their semi-final matches the previous evening with Khalil beating Larissa Wiltshire 11/7, 11/5, 11/8 and Akeila securing a close four-set win over Taylor Fernandes 11/9, 11/5, 9/11, 11/7 in their semi-final matches.
In the play off for third place Fernandes had to call on all her reserves to stave off the challenge of Larissa, winning 11/6, 6/11, 11/4, 2/11, 11/7 and seems a great contender for a Caribbean Girls Junior title when Guyana hunt their 12th consecutive team title later this month in the Cayman Islands.
In the Women’s Classic plate final, Victoria Arjoon defeated Rebecca Low 11/4, 11/2, 11/3, while in the Men’s Classic Plate final Regan Pollard gained a walkover from an ill Ben Mekdeci.
In the Men’s Plate final, Daniel Islam won an epic five setter against his junior teammate Alec Melville coming from two games to love down to take the match 6/11, 10/12, 11/8, 11/3, 11/8.
Wilshire, the father of Akeila and Larissa showed he had not lost any of his skill if only his speed. He turned back the clock with a dominant display to win both the Over-35 and O-50 categories.
President of the GSA David Fernandes, who played in the 35-49 division, thanked everyone, especially Digicel, who made the tournament a success. He said from what he saw in the tournament Guyana could reach all four semi-finals in this year’s senior Caribbean Championships set for Trinidad next month.
Results:
Men’s Open
Alec Arjoon beat Kristian Jeffrey 6/11, 11/9, 11/6, 11/3
Jason Ray Khalil beat Nyron Joseph 11/5, 9/11, 11/7, 13/15, 11/3
Women’s Open
Ashley Khalil beat Akeila Wiltshire 11/4, 11/7, 11/8
Taylor Fernandes beat Larissa Wiltshire 11/6, 6/11, 11/4, 2/11, 11/7
Women’s Classic Plate
Victoria Arjoon beat Rebecca Low 11/4, 11/2, 11/3
Makeda Harding beat Maya Collins 11/5, 11/0, 13/11
Men’s Classic Plate
Regan Pollard gained a walkover from Ben Mekdeci
Raphael De Groot defeated Javed Alli 11/7, 11/9, 4/11, 11/6
Men’s Plate
Daniel Islam beat Alec Melville6/11, 10/12, 11/8, 11/3, 11/8.
Alex Cheeks beat Anthony Islam 12/10, 11/2, 11/1
Men’s Veterans
Javed Alli beat Medhi Ramdhani 11/3, 11/8, 8/11, 11/4
Douglas De Groot beat Robin Low 11/6, 11/8, 11/2
Javed Alli beat Robin Low 11/6, 11/3, 11/7
Garfield Wiltshire beat Joe Mekdeci 11/9, 11/9, 11/8
Final placing in the various categories were as follows:
Men’s Open
Alex Arjoon – Winner
Kristian Jeffrey – second
Jason Ray Khalil – third
Nyron Joseph – fourth
Women’s Open
Ashley Khalil – winner
Akeila Wiltshire – second
Taylor Fernandes – third
Larissa Wiltshire – fourth
Men’s Classic Plate
Regan Pollard – winner
Ben Mekdeci – second
Raphael De Groot – third
Women’s Classic Plate
Victoria Arjoon – winner
Rebecca Low – second
Makeda Harding – third
Men’s Plate
Daniel Islam – winner
Alec Melville – second
Alex Cheeks – third
Men’s Veterans 35 – 49
Garfield Wiltshire – winner
Javed Alli – second
Medhi Ramdhani – third
Men’s Veterans 50’s
Garfield Wiltshire – winner
Joe Mekdeci – second
Robin Low – third

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