Badminton: Curtain-raiser competition

Cupidon and Ah-Wan stretch singles dominance to a sixth year

On Saturday February 14, at the La Promenade Gymnasium, the annual season-opening Curtain-raiser competition came to an end with five finals which featured no less than three youngsters.

Cupidon's triple matched last year's success in this same competition and he started his adventure with victory in the men's singles.

The 22-year-old didn't have to go looking into his bag of tricks against Samuel Betsy, allowing the young and inexperienced player, who most probably suffered from stage right in his first final, just three points in a 2-0 (15-1 15-2) win after 17 minutes of action.

In the men's doubles, six-time badminton player of the year Cupidon stroke a chord with coach Calix Francourt who filled in for the sick Malcouzane.

Despite not being 100% fit physically, Francourt, 43, showed that he had lost very little of his playing prowess which made him a feared player during his heydays, helping Cupidon lift his second title on a 2-0 (15-1 15-1) score over comeback kids Ron Clarisse and Mervin Sedgwick.

Cupidon, who other than the IOIG medals – a gold in the mixed doubles and a bronze in the men's doubles with Nicholas Jumaye – won a bronze medal in the mixed team event of the Eighth All-Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria, last year, had Shirley Etienne as partner in the mixed doubles.

The duo was too strong for the pair of Ah-Wan and Francourt, winning 2-0 (15-9 15-9).

"I came into today's (Saturday's) finals with the aim of defending all three titles I won last year and I'm happy to leave the venue as the undisputed champion. I'm satisfied with my performance and ready to give a 100% in all forthcoming competitions," said Cupidon, who went home with a purse of R750 – 300 for the singles title and R200 for both the mixed and men's doubles.

Sportslady of the Year 2000 Ah-Wan, who will put her ladies' singles gold medal won at the All-Africa Senior Badminton Championship in Casablanca, Morocco, in 2002 on the line in April in Mauritius, enjoyed success only once, just like last year.

Six-time badminton player of the year Ah-Wan, 22, was successful in the ladies' singles final, beating Shirley Etienne 2-0 (11-0 11-5) after 20 minutes of play.

Ah-Wan then partnered young Thyra Laporte in the ladies' doubles final but she could not lead the Belonie Secondary School student to winning a gold medal, losing 0-2 (12-15 7-15) to Etienne who also had a young player, Thelma Betsy, as partner.

Asked if she was satisfied with winning just one title, Ah-Wan replied:

"I am satisfied with how I played. I was confident of winning the singles title, but in the mixed doubles, I had to change partner as Malcouzane is sick. In the ladies' doubles, Shirley (Etienne) and I decided to choose a young player each as partner so as not to have a one-sided final. On the whole I'm satisfied with my performance."

With the conclusion of the Curtain-raiser competition, Seychellois badminton players will turn their attention to three major international competitions and qualifying for wild cards to participate in the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece .

The first competition is the South African Open Championship, starting on February 27. Seychelles will be represented at this meeting by Ah-Wan, Cupidon, Etienne and Malcouzane.

It is to be noted that Catherina Paulin won the silver medal of the ladies' singles and the duo of Ah-Wan and Paulin grabbed the bronze medal of the ladies' doubles of the 2002 edition of the South African Open Championship.

In April, the same four players will travel to Mauritius for two competitions, namely the Mauritius Open (April 15-18) and the All-Africa Senior Badminton Championship (April 19-25).

Seychelles Badminton Association chairman Michel Bau explained to Sports Nation on Saturday that there is no way that local players are going to qualify for the Olympics, especially after not participating in Olympic qualifiers last year.

"Both the South African Open Championship and Mauritius Open are Olympic qualifiers but it is going to be difficult for our players to qualify for Athens. The best they can do is give good performances to reach the furthest in both competitions and improve their world rankings. Then hopefully their wild card applications will be granted, said Mr Bau. 

G. G.