BY RUDDY ALLEN

Observer staff reporter

GARETH Henry was once again the toast of the All-Jamaica Seniors and Masters Badminton Championship by capturing yet another triple crown at the 2014 edition, which was held at the Constant Spring Golf Club Racquet Complex on Monday night.

Henry won all three major titles — the Open Men’s Singles, the Open Men’s Doubles and the Open Mixed Doubles — his third triple crown title in succession at this championship.

Henry defeated Dayvon Reid 21-12 and 21-19 in the Open Men’s Singles final to retain his title as the senior champion. He dominated the game from start to finish, winning the first set 21-12 with some beautiful backhand and forehand shots before returning to close off the match 21-19, the same way he did in the first set with a powerful smash-shot that gave his challenger no choice but to hit the shuttle onto the net.

Henry returned with his sister and last year’s Open Women’s Singles champion, Geordine Henry, to defeat Dayvon Reid and veteran Christine Leyow-Mayne 21-16 and 21-17 in the Open Mixed Doubles.

The Henry siblings came out on top in the first set with an easy 21-16 win. The brother-and-sister team had to work hard in the second set which saw them come from 2-7 down to win 21-17.

“With the experience that I have been getting with international matches I was more confident as it wasn’t nerve-wracking as it was usually for me, but 2-7 down I knew that we would come out on top,” Geordine Henry said.

Completing the triple crown, Gareth Henry then teamed up with Garron Palmer to beat Shane Wilson and Tremar Barham 21-18, 21-19 to win the Open Men’s Doubles that sent their fans into a frenzy.

Gareth Henry said that although it has been a great 2014 season for him, his focus is on qualifying for the Olympics.

“It has been a good 2014 season for me. On the international level I have moved from over 400 in ranking to 250 and so qualification for the Olympics is looking good for me as I am more focused on that right now,” Gareth said.

In the absence of defending Open Women’s Singles champion Geordine Henry due to personal reasons, it was left to the Under-19 champion Katherine Wynter to prove that she belongs with the seniors as she showed the heart and determination of a champion to edge the more seasoned Ruth Williams in one of the most dramatic finals played in recent times. Wynter had to claw her way from behind to beat Williams 16-21, 21-19 and 21-18.

Just 18 years of age, Wynter, after losing the first set 16-21, used her fitness and mental strength to keep pace with Williams to come from behind in the second set to win 21-19 to level the score at 1-1 to send the game into the final and deciding set.

The third set was another nail-biting encounter as both players fought hard. However, Wynter was able to outplay Williams, who seemed to be fading at the end and saw Wynter stealing the top honours with a 21-18 victory on Sunday night.

“The game was difficult and challenging as I was down in the first set, so I had to really step it up in the second set. I saw that my opponent was very fatigued and so I just tried my best to take full advantage of that and I did and went on to win the match,” Wynter told the Jamaica Observer.

“I am not pleased with the fact that the Women’s Singles was not played tonight (Monday) as usually on the final night… there are a lot more spectators and the media is also present and I think that is a big thing as we ladies think that we are not worthy enough to be in the spotlight as we were just pushed aside,” she added.

In the Masters championship, Dave Thompson won the Men’s Singles defeating Hua Cao 21-17, 16-21 and 21-19. In the Men’s Doubles, the pair of Dave Thompson and Dalton Reid were given the title as their opponents David Thomas and Robert Richards withdrew due to injuries.