Squash players bring home the medals

By Lindsey Turnbull

Cayman’s national squash team put in an heroic performance at last week’s Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Senior Championships held in Kingston Jamaica, bringing back with them an impressive array of medals. Overall, Team Cayman came second with silver medals, an incredible achievement considering the might of the teams they played against, including Trinidad, and the hosts, Jamaica. In fact, theirs was the highest-ranking overall performance Cayman has ever had in the history of CASA. Teams participating alongside Team Cayman were Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Barbados, Bermuda and the British Virgin Islands.

Playing for the Women’s team: 1. Jade Pitcairn, 2. Emma Turnbull 3. Michaela Janse van Rensburg 4. Kali MacLean 5. Courtney Stafford and reserve Marian Goodall, and for the Men’s team: 1. Julian Jervis 2. Cameron Stafford 3. Jake Kelly 4. Jace Jervis 5. Kasun Abeysekera, with reserve Loic Magnan.

The Vets teams were comprised of Womens Over 40s: Lori Ann Foley; Women’s O50s: Marlene West; Men’s O40s: Jodi Jervis; Men’s O50s: Keith Higgins; Men’s O60s Nick Buckley, with reserve O40’s Courtney Wisdom.

In the team event, the Women’s team brought home silver, beating the likes of Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados and only placing behind Guyana, while the Men’s team won bronze, beating Barbados and Trinidad. The Vets team got bronze, beating Guyana.

O40 gold medalist Lori Ann Foley said: “Cayman came second out of all the countries. I think we have the smallest population. I am super impressed that we came second for such a small population. We were up against countries like Jamaica and Trinidad with populations of millions and we did so well. All of our team mates played really well.”

Lori Ann continued: “This was my first time at CASA and it was a lot of fun and I think our results prove that we not only have great coaches [Cayman’s national coach is Sardar Khan] but we have great players who are very dedicated and work really hard because you cannot get those results without working really, really hard.”

Cayman Islands Senior National winner Jade Pitcairn said she was proud of the team’s efforts:

“The team event was always my favourite event in the CASA tournament. I’m so happy with everyone’s performance this time,” she said. “I was very excited to play the number one player after winning the Cayman senior nationals in June. I had lots of great matches and I am definitely looking forward to next year.”

In the Doubles teams, Cayman did particularly well, with Cayman’s veteran squash champions Cameron Stafford and Marlene West taking home a gold medal in Mixed Doubles, Jade Pitcairn and Michaela Janse van Rensburg winning silver in the Women’s Doubles and Julian Jervis and Jake Kelly attaining bronze in the Men’s Doubles.

Marlene West won gold for Cayman in the Women’s O50 group, while In the Men’s O50 group, Keith Higgins won bronze and in the O60 group Nick Buckley gained a bronze medal. In the Women’s O40 group, Lori Ann Foley won gold and Courtney Stafford won silver in the consolation plate singles. Julian Jervis gained bronze in the men’s singles.