The Under-17s Island Badminton Championships sponsored by Regent Dental Care were held at the Roundhouse recently and saw a strong turnout of talented young players, with many competing in age categories above their own.

The event got underway with the boys’ singles, arranged into four groups of five players. Matches were played as best-of-three to 15 points, and no setting was allowed.

In the boys’ singles, Group A was won by current Under-15 champion Lok Cheung securing four straight wins. Group B saw Under-13 champion Jet Woon dominate his opponents to clinch first place, while Group C was taken by Thomas Clague, and Adi Malikireddy emerged victorious in Group D. These wins set up the semi-final matches, with Cheung facing Malikireddy and Woon going up against Clague.

In a compelling display, Cheung defeated Malikireddy 15-10, 15-9, securing his place in the final. Woon, meanwhile, overpowered Clague with a 15-3, 15-6 win to secure the other finalist position. The title match between Cheung and Woon showcased Cheung’s attacking yet composed playing style, as he delivered a commanding 15-4, 15-6 victory to claim the boys’ singles title.

In the girls’ singles, players were divided into three groups of four. Group A was won by last year’s champion Kelly Domingo, who returned to defend her title, while Under-15 champion Fatima Syed triumphed in Group B, and Under-13 champion Kelly Cheung led Group C. Domingo, the top seed, advanced directly to the final, leaving Cheung and Syed to battle for the remaining finalist spot in a nail-biting semi-final.

The semi-final was a close, three-game match with Cheung narrowly clinching the first game 15-14. Syed responded in the second game with a 15-9 win, setting up a tense decider. In a thrilling finish, Cheung held on to take the final game 15-13, securing her place in the final. In the championship match, Domingo showed her strength, defending her title with a decisive 15-5, 15-4 victory.

In the boys’ doubles, Group A was dominated by Martin Cheung and Edward Cheung, who secured their place in the final winning all of their matches. Group A runners-up Thomas Clague and Ziyad Sulthan claimed bronze medals for their finishing position in the group. In Group B, the pairing of Lok Cheung and Adi Malikireddy emerged as group winners, advancing to the final. Jasper Corlett and Jet Woon took second place in Group B, earning the second set of bronze medals.

The final match for the boys’ doubles title saw a clash between Group A winners Martin and Edward Cheung and Group B victors Lok Cheung and Adi Malikireddy. In a commanding performance, Martin and Edward Cheung claimed the championship with a 15-8, 15-4 win, securing the Under-17 boys’ doubles title with a combination of precision and teamwork.

The girls’ doubles event was played in a single large group of six pairs. With a packed schedule, each duo had several matches to contend with each fighting for every game. Bronze medals were awarded to Lara Stewart and Sophie Clague, and Charlotte Quayle and Sky Yin, who each secured enough wins for 3rd and 4th place. With the bronze medal positions decided, the final contest for the gold medal came down to a match between the pairing of Kelly Cheung and Connie Creer and the duo of Kelly Domingo and Fatima Syed. In an exciting final match, Domingo and Syed edged the victory taking the win with a 15-9, 15-11 scoreline to become the Under-17 girls’ doubles champions, a second title of the day for Domingo.

The final event of the day saw a thrilling mixed doubles competition, which interestingly included five pairs of siblings partnerships. The mixed doubles was structured into three groups, with some fierce competition among these talented young players.

Group A was won by siblings Martin and Kelly Cheung, who demonstrated their synergy on the court, while Group B was claimed by Lok Cheung and Fatima Syed. In Group C, Adi Malikireddy and Molly Bell emerged victorious, setting the stage for an exciting semi-final lineup. With the Cheung siblings advancing directly to the final, the semi-final saw Lok Cheung and Syed take on Malikireddy and Bell, winning 15-10, 15-8 to secure their place in the championship match.

In the final, Martin and Kelly Cheung delivered a commanding performance, winning in straight sets, 15-7, 15-5, to clinch their first mixed doubles title together and a second title of the day for Martin.

The event organisers extended their thanks to Regent Dental Care, who sponsored this event and who have recently opened a new practice at the Roundhouse, they also kindly presented all the medals on the day. Special appreciation was also given to the Roundhouse staff for their assistance along with all the volunteers who contributed their time and effort to ensure the smooth organisation and running of this event. The next tournament in the junior calendar will be the Under 13s on the 16th November, the entry form can be found here.

Many of these games are also available to view on our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@isleofmanbadminton