CHAD SALANDY produced a comeback victory for the ages when the National Junior Squash Championships concluded Saturday at Cascadia Squash Club, St Ann’s.
Given almost no chance against Nku Patrick in the Under-17 final, Salandy amazed his fellow players just by the fact that he was able to battle back and force a deciding set after dropping the first two sets.
But the No. 2 seed had something even more unbelievable in store in the decider as he roared back from 8-4 down to win seven of the last eight points and prevail 4-11, 6-11, 11-5, 14-12, 11-9.
The stunning upset also seemed to shake Patrick’s older brother, as Mandela lost five of the first six points of the Under-19 final.
However, the overwhelming favourite and defending champion was not about to let lightning strike twice as he recovered to take 10 of the final 11 points in the game en route to an 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 triumph over Jacob Gillezeau.
Gillezeau’s sister Faith was crowned the new national Under-17 champ when last year’s Under-15 winner cruised past Jamie Leigh Edghill 11-4, 11-9, 11-4.
Pascal Bell, a relative newcomer to competition, claimed third place with an 11-2, 11-6, 12-10 victory over Amanda Jackson, whose sister Angelique had lost the under-19 title match 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 to Talia Abdool the day before.
Both Marie Claire Barcant and Jonathan Blanc recovered after dropping the opening set to capture the under-15 titles.
Barcant defeated Alexandria Yearwood 5-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6, while Blanc was a 10-12, 11-6, 11-5, 11-3 winner over Nicholas Caddle.
Aimee D Verteuil halted Jinan Al-Rawi 11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6 for the girls’ under-13 title, while the boys’ equivalent crown went to Kobie Khan.
The son of 17-time national champ Rhea Khan was an 11-8, 11-4, 11-7 winner over Rondel Campbell in the title match, while Christopher Anthony edged Cain De Lima 11-9, 11-9, 14-12 for third place.
Christian Edghll whipped James Lanser 11-2, 11-5, 11-7 for third in the under-17 category, while Luke Asui took the plate after beating Darnell Gittins 11-3, 11-7, 11-7.
Ian Forbes beat Jabari Sampson 11-4, 11-8, 11-1 and Sebastian Krogh was an 11-2, 11-4, 9-11, 11-5 over Jeremy Nieves for the under-13 and 15 plates, respectively, in the three-day tournament.