Tamisha?Williams’ breakthrough year continued in Jamaica on Thursday when she reached her first regional women’s singles final at the 2014 CAREBACO Championships.
Williams, who reached her maiden National Championships final in June, was due to have a showdown with the highly favoured and No.1 seeded Trinidadian Solangel Guzman last night.
After securing wins against Mikaylia Haldane of Jamaica 21-18, 21-19 and Nakeisha Blake 15-21, 21-14, 10 in the previous rounds, Williams defeated No.2 seed Ruth Williams of Jamaica in the semi-final 21-17, 21-15.
Playing in front a partisan crowd, Williams was able to maintain her focus to secure the victory and become the first Barbadian woman to reach the singles final since the Barbados Badminton Association’s successful revival of the regional tournament in 2010 at the Wildey Gymnasium.
She will also have the opportunity to double up in the women’s doubles division with partner Shari Watson after they defeated the Trinidadian pair Nakeisha Blake and Solangel Guzman 21-18, 21-19.
Unfortunately, Watson failed in her bid to go for a potential double as well, when she and partner Andre Padmore lost their mixed doubles semi-final game to Garron Palmer and Mikaylia Haldane of Jamaica, 15-21, 21-14, 11-21.
Teenager Amanda Haywood will also be seeking glory, with her eyes set on three titles: the Under-15 singles and doubles and Under-17 mixed doubles.
The 13-year-old St Michael School student will play Taina Daley of Jamaica in the singles final after dispatching Jamaican Karie Dawson 21-6, 21-14 in the semi-finals.
Haywood partnered with Guyanese Priyanna Ramhdani to defeat the Jamaican pair Karie Dawson and Taliyah Richardson 21-13, 21-8 in the semi-finals. They will face No.1 seeds Taina Daley and Shezelle Mctyson of Jamaica in the final.
Haywood’s third chance at gold will come as she steps up a division, with mixed doubles partner Shae Martin in the Under-17 division.
The duo defeated Jamaica’s Shaunte Smith and Shamar Hunter 21-14, 21-9 in the semi-final match and will clash against a tougher Jamaican combination, Alana Bailey and Shane Wilson, in the final.
The Barbados Under-13 girls’ doubles pair MacKenzie Howard and Kayla Miller also advanced to the final. (PR/EZS)
