PANAJI
Goa’s top junior shuttlers, Aashrun Gautam, Lydia Barreto, Yasmin Sayed, Sushil Nayak and Arjun Fallary, exhibited fine performances to enter the finals in multiple categories, at the State Junior Badminton championships 2018 organised by Panjim Badminton Club in collaboration with Goa Badminton Association and the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG). Aryaman Saraf, Chetan Magdum and Yash Kunkolienker were the other players who also made it into the finals.
In the semifinals matches played at the multipurpose stadium, Peddem Sports complex, top seed Sushil Nayak ousted Archit Bhargava 21-5, 21-11 while Rudra Dukle put up a dominant performance to upset second seed Arjun Fallary 21-13, 21-10 in Under 17 Boys singles semi-finals. In Under 17 Girls semi-finals, Yasmin Sayed defeated Rhea Mallya 21-13, 21-15 to set up a title clash with Lydia Barreto who registered a comprehensive 21-4, 21-5 win over Aahana Nayak in the other semi finals.
Goa’s top shuttler, Aaashrun Gautam had it easy in his semi finals versus Yash Kunkolienker. He won 21-5, 21-8. The other semi was more keenly fought with Sushil Nayak emerging on top with a 21-17, 21-12 win over Arjun Fallary. The Under 19 Girls finals will witness Yasmin Sayed and Lydia Barreto once again squaring off for the title. Yasmin Sayed was stretched the whole distance by her young opponent Aahana Nayak before prevailing to a hard fought 21-18, 15-21, 21-5 win. Lydia Barreto faced a few tense moments in the second set but staved off the late fightback from Rajvi Sampat, winning 21-7, 21-17.
Following are results of the doubles semi-finals:
Under 17 Boys Doubles Semi-Finals
Arjun Fallary / Sushil Nayak bt Yash Halarnkar / Parth Kantak 21-6, 21-11
Aryaman Saraf / Chetan Magdum bt Rudra Dukle / Ayaan Shaikh 21-18, 18-21, 21-16
Under 19 Boys Doubles Semi-Finals
Aashrun Gautam / Arjun Fallary bt Aryaman Saraf / Chetan Magdum 21-8, 21-15
Yash Kunkolienker / Sushil Nayak bt Rudra Dukle / Shubham Rivonker 24-26, 21-9, 21-14
Under 19 Mixed Doubles Semi-Finals
Sushil Nayak / Yasmin Sayed bt Parth Kantak / Rhea Mallya 21-15, 21-14
Arjun Fallary / Lydia Barreto bt Anup Kushwaha / Aahana Nayak 21-11, 21-12
