Woodpecker Junior National C/ships hailed a success

May 19, 2023 Sports

– GSA Chairman of Competitions

Kaieteur Sports – The Woodpecker Products Junior National Squash tournament, recently concluded, received high praise from Deje Diaz, Chairman of the Competition Committee of the Guyana Squash Association (GSA).

The juniors’ national tourney lasted six days, with a thrilling display of talent and perseverance from what is dubbed as ‘the next generation of squash stars,’ while several new talents emerged, the reigning champion, Kirsten Gomes, comfortably defended her title in her final year as a junior.

Speaking with the Chairman of Competitions, Diaz expressed his satisfaction with the tournament’s outcome, stating, “Based on the results from the recent Woodpecker Products Junior Nationals, it is easy to say, it was indeed a massive success. Looking forward, we have a strong team heading into the Junior Caribbean Championship to be held in St Vincent in July.”

“Our boys particularly stand out, with notable performances from Justin Ten Pow, who triumphed in the U13 category, and Ethan Bulkan, a ten-year-old prodigy who secured first place in the U11 category and also placed second in the U13 category. As for the girls, we expect Kirsten Gomes, a multi-time national champion, to provide strong leadership. While our girls face a challenging task, we have a few experienced players who can make a difference in upcoming tournaments.”

The tournament also witnessed the return of last year’s Most Improved boy and girl, Louis DaSilva and Safirah Sumner, who both claimed respective U17 titles, which is also great for the sport. They also displayed commendable performances at the U19 level, finishing as runners-up.

A snippet of the action from the 2023 Woodpecker Juniors C/ships between Ethan Bulkan and Justin Ten Pow.

This serves as a testament to the passion and skill displayed by these young athletes. With sights set on the upcoming Junior Caribbean Championship in July, Guyana’s main aim is to defend their title, having achieved this feat at last year’s championship.

Diaz emphasized that “The current focus at this time, is to retain the junior title at the Central American Squash Area (CASA) in July.” He acknowledges, “Despite the challenges posed by team Barbados, Trinidad, and Jamaica for our girls’ team, it is not yet out of our reach. I remain confident in both our boys’ and girls’ team heading into the championship.”

Diaz also noted, our (GSA) other focus is to qualify for the Panam Championships at the PanAm qualifiers in Cartagena, Colombia, as well as our senior national championship which is scheduled for 4-18 July.

• Guyana Squash Association (GSA), Justin Ten Pow, Kirsten Gomes, Tournament, Woodpecker Products Junior National Squash