Four of Barbados’ junior squash players participates in World Squash Federation Champs

Barbados: Four of the Barbados’ top junior squash players are currently in Houston, Texas where they are competing in the World Squash Federation (WSF) Junior Championships, which began Thursday at the Houston Squash Club.

The tournament attracted 241 of the world’s top junior squash players from 39 countries including the defending junior female champion Amina Orfi of Egypt and the defending men’s junior champion Hamza Khan also of Egypt.

The four Bajans junior squash players are Eboni Atherley, Joanna Atkins, Luke Wilson and Dominic Wilson who were members of the victorious Barbados team at the Junior Caribbean Squash Championships which ended last week in the British Virgin Islands. In June, Atherley, Atkins and Dominic Wilson also represented Barbados at the Junior Pan Am Squash Championship in Quito, Ecuador.

Atherley who is the Caribbean under-19 girls’ champion defeated Cheng Yu-Chen of China 3-0 (11-2, 11-4, 11-5) in her first round match, but failed to advance to the third round when she was defeated 0-3 (11-3, 11-2, 11-2) by Lauren Baltayan of France. Atherley also lost her 2nd round consolation in a five setter to Emma Merson of New Zealand 2-3 (3-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-6, 3-11). She is scheduled to play Anabel Romero Gemmell of New Zealand on Monday.

Atkins went down 0-3 (8-11, 1-11, 3-11) to Juanita Sarmiento of Columbia in the first round. In the first-round consolation, she then lost to New Zealander Maiden-Lee Coe 0-3 (4-11, 4-11, 2-11). In the plate against Brazil’s Gabi El-Masry, Atkins went down 0-3 and she is now scheduled to play, Yu-Chia Wu of China tomorrow.

Dominic Wilson also lost his first round match to Juan Irisarri of Colombia 0-3 (2-11, 3-11, 4-11) and on Saturday he lost to Charlie Prince in a consolation match 0-3 (9-11, 9-11, 4-11). In his first plate match, Dominic defeated Brazil’s Matheus Frabetti, 3-1 (11-13, 11-9, 14-12, 11-6). Playing in the round of 16 in the plate against Mathias De La Colina of France, Dominic bowed out 1-3 ( 4-11, 11-9, 5-11, 4-11).

Luke, went down to England’s under-17 champion Dylan Roberts 0-3 (4-11, 4-11, 0-11) in his first round match and then he lost to Khaled W Al Fouzain of Kuwait 0-3 (11-4, 11-3, 11-6) in his consolation match. In the plate, he was defeated by Salem Almwled of Saudi Arabia 1-3 (4-11, 3-11, 8-11, 6-11).

While the players may not stand on the podium, they were afforded a number of quality matches with players from all over the world which argues for good exposure for all of them.