JNGI places faith in glory-chasing squash players
JN General Insurance (JNGI) has provided sponsorship valued at approximately $400,000 to help send Jamaica’s Senior National Squash Team to the Caribbean Area Squash Association’s (CASA) Senior Championships for the second-consecutive year.
The tournament, which is the most prestigious event on the regional squash calendar, is currently underway in the Cayman Islands and will end on Sunday.
JNGI’s sponsorship package includes a cash allocation towards travelling expenses as well as competitive gear for the team. The contribution was handed over at a send-off ceremony at the Liguanea Club on Thursday where the team was officially announced.
Expectations are high for the national squad, which is the strongest selection fielded by Jamaica in recent years. Headlining the contingent is All Jamaica and defending Caribbean men’s champion, Chris Binnie, who is seeking a record-breaking seventh regional title.
Hot on Binnie’s heels is newcomer Lewis Walters, who stretched Binnie to the limit at the recent National Championships. Walters goes into the Caribbean Championships seeded at number two prompting the exciting prospect of an All-Jamaican showdown in the Men’s final.
The Binnie and Walters combination should also give Jamaica a major advantage in the team competition. The squad also has considerable depth with the hard-fighting Bruce Burrowes and rising stars Julian Morrison and Ashante Smith. Morrison, who surprised his more experienced competitors with a fourth place finish at the recent National Championships, could be an upsetter at Senior CASA.
In the ladies competition, newly crowned All Jamaica women’s champion Mary Mahfood will be looking for her first regional title at the senior level. The contingent also includes former All Jamaica ladies champions Lauren Mahfood and Brooke Burrowes, and seasoned campaigner Tracy Binnie.
Chris Hind, CEO of JNGI, said: “We are pleased to be back on board as major sponsors of the Jamaica senior squash team for the Caribbean Championships. With a particularly strong team, which includes the two best male players in the region, Jamaica is in a position to dominate Caribbean squash and we are very proud to support the players in this effort.”
Bruce Levy, vice-president of the Jamaica Squash Association, said he “will have a lot to celebrate at this year’s Caribbean Championships”.
“Our men’s team is the strongest in the region, and our ladies team is a line-up of recent national champions. Yet even with all the talent we have, it is impossible to compete on the regional stage without tangible support, and we thank JN General Insurance for their kind assistance and we hope to do our sponsors and country proud,” Levy said.
Team: Chris Binnie, Bruce Burrowes, Bruce Levy (Captain), Julian Morrison, Ashante Smith, Lewis Walters, Nathalee Boreland, Tracey Binnie, Brooke Burrowes, Lauren Mahfood, Mary Mahfood.
