Ramasra takes seventh National crown
RHEA KHAN and Colin Ramasra enhanced their already stellar reputations in the National Squash Championships Saturday night at Cascadia Squash Club, St Ann’s.
After upsetting second-seeded Julian Chin the night before in the semi-finals, Mandela Patrick, the under-19 champion, gave it his absolute all and was very gallant in defeat.
Ramsara, now based in Canada and ranked in the top 250 in the world, was expected to blow away the 17-year-old in the title match, but was made to work for his 11-5, 11-9, 11-5 victory.
It was the seventh time that the 29-year-old had captured the title, but that is just a drop in the bucket when compared to the amount of times that Khan has lifted the women’s crown.
The pint-sized 35-year-old contested her 21st final and walked away with the crown for the 18th time when she overwhelmed recently-crowned national under-17 champ Faith Gillezeau 11-2, 11-9, 11-3.
Nakita Poon Kong, the 23-year-old former top junior, came from behind to defeat national under-19 champ Talia Abdool 10-12, 12-10, 11-5, 11-7 to claim third place in her first tournament in four years.
Chin, a Guyanese residing in Trinidad, ended up third in the men’s draw with a 12-10, 6-11, 11-9, 11-4 victory over Patrick’s younger brother Nku.
Brandon DeMontrichard whipped Adam Da Costa 11-5, 11-1, 11-8 and Angelique Jackson cruised past Stephanie Sobrien 11-2, 11-8, 11-5 for the plate (for first-round losers) titles.
After stunning two-time defending champ John Holley in the semi-finals a couple hours earlier, fourth-seeded Peter Pirtheesingh completed the job when he upset No. 2 seed Roger Salandy 11-8, 6-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-8 in the veterans’ final.
And Paul Boyce took the over-40 plate by halting Raymond Patrick, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Squash Association and father of Mandela and Nku, 11-4, 11-8, 8-11, 10-12, 11-3.