Henry leads compatriots into quarter-finals at CAREBACO Champs
LOCAL badminton queen Geordine Henry headlines a list of Jamaicans advancing to the quarter-finals in individual events at the 2014 staging of the Caribbean Regional Badminton Confederation (CAREBACO) Championships at the Alfred Sangster Auditorium at the University of Technology (UTech) Papine Campus on Monday.
Henry, the older sister of Gareth Henry, brushed aside Avril Plaza-Marcelle from Trinidad & Tobago in two sets, 21-15 and 21-11 in the Open women’s singles to set up a clash with fellow Jamaican Carla Grant.
Henry said that she was lacking some confidence but hopes to regain her comfort zone as the tournament progresses.
“I won but not the way I expected to as the confidence in my shot selections were lacking, but as I advance to the quarter-finals in the open singles I will be more comfortable,” the 26-year-old said.
Henry also said that she believes that she can go all the way to win the open singles title.
“Once I can build my confidence and keep a positive mindset I believe that I can win this singles championship.
“My form is not where I would want it to be, but the tournament is here and so I have to give my best at all times in order to win this,” she told the Jamaica Observer.
Also advancing was Barbados’ Tamisha Williams, who defeated T&T’s Nekeisha Blake 15-21, 21-14, 21-10.
In the open men’s singles, Jamaica’s Erin Bailey defeated Barbados’ Jade Browne 21-17, 16-21, 21-18, and Anthony McNee whipped T&T’s Alistair Espinoza 21-17, 14-21, 21-7 to advance to the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, in the Under-19 open boys’ singles, Jamaica’s Sean Wilson whipped Barbados’ Cory Fanus 21-19, 21-10, and Kenneth Anglin stopped T&T’s Sheraz Nabbie 17-21, 21-6, 24-22 to advance to the quarter-finals.
Also advancing were Sabeel Foster from Barbados, who crushed Guyana’s Ronald Chang 21-3, 21-7, and T&T’s Will Lee, who got the better of Barbados’ D’Andre Thrope 23-21, 21-8.
In the Under-19 girls’ singles, Jamaica’s Dematra Mew defeated Onika Moe from Barbados 21-13, 21-12, and Jade Clarke stopped teammate Diamond Cassanova 21-8, 21-15 to advance to the semi-finals, while fellow Jamaican Christina Petri went down to T&T’s Kristie Reno-Singh 21-14, 21-16.
The quarter-finals will be played today.
