Three time Caribbean girls champions Mary Fung-A-Fat shook off the rust of inactivity on her first night back and dominated her understudy Akeila Wiltshire in straight games on night two of the Guyana Squash Association’s (GSA) Woodpecker National Junior Squash Championships.
Playing on court three at the Georgetown club squash court, 2008 Caribbean under 15 champion Fung-A-Fat, was in top form inspite of the fact that she had been absent from tournament play over the last few month. Her impeccable form was evident from the onset and she overpowered the reigning under 15 champion Wiltshire 11/4, 11/6, 11/3 in what may be their penultimate tournament before the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships this year in Jamaica.
In an invited comment after the game Fung-A-Fat said, “It felt really good, I thought I would have been playing a lot worse.”
Fung-A-Fat’s marksman-like accuracy helped her execute several lethal winners to kill her opponent’s confidence early.
“I thought I played reasonably well,” she stated. “Maybe I should take more time away to focus on my studies if it will keep me playing like this,” she added. Nevertheless, Fung-A-Fat did credit Wiltshire for the significant improvements in her game and said that she will be a force in her age group.
Fung-A-Fat, who turns 18 next week, said that she is very confident of her chances in to win her maiden under 19 title at the nationals this year. With the Jeffrey twins and Ashley Khalil no longer eligible to play at the junior level, Fung-A-Fat said that her main challenger will be multidiscipline athlete (squash and hockey) Ashley deGroot and that encounter takes place later tonight.
Eight-year old Shomari Wiltshire continued to impress and completed a remarkable shut-out victory against newcomer Dominic Collins who was unable to score during the encounter. Shomari, who was adjudged the most outstanding player in the Kool-Aid Junior Easter Tournament, is the favourite to win the national under 13 title.
Reigning Caribbean Under 13 champion Benjamin Mekdeci, who will be competing as an under 15 competitor this year, had to double up on the night, but still managed two comfortably wins both in straight games. Rebecca Low also went two of two on the night defeating Makeda Harding, who lost to Savannah Mendes on night one, and Maya Collins respectively. Mekdeci (U15 and U17), and Low are two of the player who are competing in two age categories in this year’s event. The Woodpeck National Junior Squash Championships organized by GSA in collaboration with its number one corporate sponsor Digicel will continue tonight at 18:30hrs.
Last night’s results
Rebecca Low defeated Makeda Harding 11/2, 11/0, 11/1
Rebecca Low defeated Maya Collins 11/1, 11/7, 11/3
Travis Whitehead defeated Zach Persaud 11/3, 11/1, 11/2
Anthony Islam defeated Daniel Islam 3/11, 11/8, 11/9, 12/10
Taylor Fernandes defeated Lydia Alphonso 11/3, 11/2, 11/3
Patrick Fraser defeated Pablio Mundini 11/9, 11/6, 8/11, 11/8
Ben Mekdeci defeated Mahendra Khusial 11/0, 11/1, 11/1
Ben Mekdeci defeated Alec Melville 11/5, 11/1, 11/1
Shomari Wiltshire defeated Dominic Collins 11/0, 11/0, 11/0
John Phang defeated Gianni Carpenter 11/9, 11/8, 11/7
Steven Xavier defeat Joven Benn 11/2, 13/11, 11/1
Mary Fung-A-Fat defeated Akeila Wiltshire 11/4, 11/6, 11/3
Nyron Joseph defeated Avinash Odit 11/2, 11/0, 11/0
