KFC Nat’l Senior Squash Championships…Khalil siblings take historic ‘double’

Jun 17, 2019 Sports

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By Sean Devers
The National Squash Championships began back in the 1960s and yesterday at the GT Club, the finals of the 2019 KFC National Seniors Championships produced high-standard Squash with Jason Ray Khalil and his sister Ashley creating history when they became the first pair of siblings to win both National Men’s and Women’s Open locally.

In 2013, the pair of siblings had won their respective categories in the Ansa McAl Easter Senior Championships and has repeated the feat in a National Championship. Ironically this is the first National Senior title for both of them.
This tournament was used as preparation for Guyana’s hosting of the Senior Caribbean Area Championships in August and the Junior CASA in Trinidad in July.
Playing in the Women’s Open, Ashley defeated fellow 2019 Pan American Games contender Taylor Fernandes 4-1.
The Pan Am games is scheduled for next month in Peru and the pair joins Mary Fung-a-Fat who is presently in the UK, to form the Guyanese women’s team in Lima.
Yesterday’s contest was a good warm-up for Peru as Khalil, the number one seed, won a hard fought and very competitive first game 14-12; before the tall Fernandes took the second game 11 – 8. In the third game Ashley played the bigger points better and won the game 11 – 5. She would eventually win 11 – 8 in the fourth game.
In the Men’s Open final, which followed the ladies match, Ashley’s younger brother Jason Ray, recovered from 2 down to beat Nyron Joseph 3-2, in a match which both players engaged in long rallies and executed skilful shots.
However, the wily Khalil made Joseph move around the Court more which seemed to take its toll on Joseph, who made some simple mistakes the longer the match progressed.
Such was the level of intensity that twice the players tripped over each other and were sent sprawling to ground as the largest turn-out of the tournament, which commenced last Monday watched the action-packed contest.
After losing a close first game 11-9 and then surrendering the second game 11-8 Jason Ray dug into his reserves and started playing more shots. He won the third game 11-3 and hung on to win the fourth game 11-8.
At the end of the fourth game it was obvious that Joseph was the more tired of the two and Jason Ray easily won the fifth game 11-2.
Jason Ray outlasted Shomari Wiltshire 11 – 3, 9 – 11, 11 – 8, 11 – 5. Joseph beat Regan Pollard 11 – 6, 11 – 9, 4 – 11, 11 – 0.
Shomari Wiltshire finished third as he won in straight games against Regan Pollard 11 – 6, 13 – 11, 11 – 5.
In the semi -finals Ashley had beaten Abosaide Cadogan 11 – 3, 11 – 4, 11 – 1 and Taylor defeated Gabby Fraser 11 – 4, 11 – 3, 11 – 2. Gabby Fraser finished third as she beat Abosaide Cadogan 11 – 7, 11 – 5, 11 – 9.
In the Men’s Classic Plate, Robert Fernandes rolled back the years and secured a victory over Peter Michael De Groot thereby claiming fifth place. Scores were 13 – 11, 11 – 9, 11 – 7.
Robert had beaten Nicholas Naraine in four games, 9 – 11, 14 – 12, 12 – 10, 5 – 0, while Peter Michael had defeated Damien Da Silva 6 – 11, 14 – 12, 20 – 18, 11 – 3.
Kirsten Gomes won the Women’s Classic Plate when she defeated Lydia Fraser 11 – 9, 11 – 3, 11 – 4. Madison Fernandes finished third as she completely outclassed Teija Edwards defeating her 11 – 2, 11 – 0, 11 – 0
Nicholas Verwey completed a fine tournament when he won the Men’s Plate with victory over Jonathan Antczak. 11 – 4, 11 – 8, 11 – 5.
Nicholas had reached the finals when he beat Ian Mekdeci 11 – 6, 11 – 4, 11 – 4. Jonathan had beaten Mohryan Baksh 11 – 8, 11 – 8, 12 – 10.
Ian Mekdeci finished third in the plate as he defeated Mohryan Baksh 11 – 3, 11 – 2, 11 – 7.
In the Men’s Veterans Over 50 matches played on Saturday evening, Garfield Wiltshire defeated Joe Mekdeci 11 – 4, 11 – 8, 11 – 6 . Medhi Ramdhani beat Tony Farnum 11 – 3, 11 – 5, 11 – 3.
President of the GSA David Fernandes, who is also the Manager of Guyana’s three-member Women’s team to the Pan Am Games, said he was very satisfied that this tournament served its intended aim of preparation for Guyana’s three major International tournament in the next few months.
“Yes I am very heartened from what I saw here since many of the youngsters who will vie for places on the Junior CASA team in Trinidad in July, played really well in this tournament. Also Ashley and Taylor will be going to Peru and played good squash here,” Fernandes noted.
Full tournament results:

Men’s Open
Jason Ray Khalil – Winner
Nyron Joseph – Second
Shomari Wiltshire – Third
Regan Pollard – Fourth
Robert Fernandes – Fifth
Peter Michael De Groot – Sixth
Damien Da Silva – Seventh
Women’s Open
Ashley Khalil – Winner
Taylor Fernandes – Second
Gabby Fraser – Third
Abosaide Cadogan – Fourth
Kirsten Gomes – Fifth
Lydia Fraser – Sixth
Madison Fernandes – Seventh
Men’s Plate
Nicholas Verwey – Winner
Jonathan Antczak – Second
Ian Mekdeci – Third
Men’s Veterans Over 35
Regan Pollard _ Winner
Robert Fernandes – Second
Men’s Veterans Over 50
Garfield Wiltshire – Winner
Joe Mekdeci – Second
Medhi Ramdhani – Third

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