African Senior Badminton Championships 2014 |02 May 2014

Women’s doubles silver for Ah-Wan, Camille

Seychellois badminton players could not win any gold medal in the African Senior Badminton Championships as South Africa and Mauritius shared final day honours in the individual events at the Lobatse Sports Complex, Botswana.

Women’s doubles gold medallists in Mauritius last year, Juliette Ah-Wan and Alisen Camille could not defend their title as they were beaten by the Mauritian pair of Kate Foo Kune and Yeldy Louison.

According to reports from Botswana, the Mauritians started better and cruised in the first game to win 21-17, but the experienced Ah-wan and Camille came back very strong in the second and led 11-7 at the interval before the Mauritian pair clambered back to take the set 22-20 and the match 2-0.

Kate Foo Kune gave Mauritius its second gold medal of the championships by beating Nigerian Grace Daniel 2-1 (21-14, 14-21, 21-17) in the women’s singles final.

South Africa won the other three gold medals.

The men’s singles title went to Jacob Maliekal who confirmed his status as the best contemporary African player with his fourth straight gold medal, beginning 2011. The Badminton World Federation website wrote that the defending champion was not troubled by Nigeria’s Abah Eneojo, taking just 19 minutes to overcome his challenger 2-0 (21-11, 21-17).

Gaone Tawana won the bronze to give hosts Botswana its first ever medal in the men’s singles.

South Africans Willem Viljoen and Andries Malan defeated Nigerians Abah Eneojo and Victor Makanju 2-0 (21-8, 21-15) in the men’s doubles final.

Viljoen then joined forces with Michelle Butler in the mixed doubles final to win 2-0 (21-18, 21-17) against compatriots Andries Malan and Jennifer Fry.

Meanwhile, in the team event, Seychelles won a bronze medal after losing 1-3 to Nigeria in the semifinals.

South Africa emerged champions by beating Nigeria 3-1 in the final on Sunday after edging Mauritius 3-2 in the other semifinals.

South Africa were in group A with Seychelles, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Cameroun, while Nigeria were in group B with Mauritius, Egypt, Zambia and Congo. South Africa and Seychelles finished at the top in group A and Nigeria and Mauritius in group B.

Other than Ah-Wan and Camille, the Seychelles team comprised Georgie Cupidon, Steve Malcouzane, Kervin Ghislain and Chlorie Cadeau. They were accompanied by coach Calix Francourt.

G. G.