Jayce
The All-Africa U19 Junior Badminton Championships are currently underway in Thiès, Senegal, bringing together some of the most talented young badminton players from across the African continent. This team event, scheduled from August 12th to 14th, features two groups of four teams each, competing for the championship title. Group A comprises Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, and Burundi, while Group B includes Mauritius, South Africa, Senegal, and Benin.
The day’s matches kicked off in the morning at the Stade Lat Dior in Thiès, with a dominant performance by Algeria against Tunisia on Court 1. Algeria swept the tie 5-0, starting with a decisive win in the mixed doubles as Ryane Mazri and Ines Madi defeated Tunisia’s Abderrahmen Trabelsi and Narim Jebali 21-7, 21-13. In the men’s singles, Oussama Keddou continued Algeria’s winning streak with a 21-6, 21-13 victory over Oubeid Errahmen Kasraoui. The women’s singles match saw Amira Bouhrira defeat Elaa Khedhiri 21-13, 21-12. Algeria maintained their dominance in the men’s doubles, with Daoud Aimen and Yacine Laichi overcoming Ahmed Chityoui and Oubeid Errahmen Kasraoui. The final match, women’s doubles, saw Manel Hamza and Delhomme Riham defeat Narim Jebali and Elaa Khedhiri. Reflecting on the victory, Oussama Keddou expressed his satisfaction: “We are thrilled to have won our first match and earned our first point. We aim to maintain this momentum throughout the tournament.”
The next match in Group A saw Egypt take on Burundi, with Egypt emerging victorious with a 5-0 win. The mixed doubles match started the tie, with Mahmoud Mohamed Mahmoud and Fatema Rabie defeating Prince Irakoze and Keren Igiraneza. Egypt continued their winning ways in the men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, and finally, the women’s doubles, where Elgendy Hadia and Lojaine Wasfy defeated Keren Igiraneza and Berthila Niyomwungere 21-5, 21-2. Reem Hussein, Egypt’s women’s singles player, commented, “This first win is crucial as it gives us the first point in the group stage. We know the competition is tough, and we must secure all victories to achieve our goals.”
On Court 3, Group B featured a clash between Mauritius and Benin. Mauritius dominated this match, starting with a mixed doubles win, where Aidan Yu Kiat Siow Yin Young and Chiara How Hong defeated Lewis Kpanou and Blessing Atchade 21-6, 21-2. Agnivesh Ragoonundun won the men’s singles 21-12, 21-7 against Jeredy Steve Bassa. Layna Luxmi Chiniah clinched the women’s singles title with a 21-3, 21-9 victory over Anna Gladys Akakpo. Mauritius further secured their win in the men’s doubles, with Nyanesh Anand Changea and Tejas Savoo defeating Jeredy Steve Bassa and Lewis Kpanou 21-17, 21-14. The final match, women’s doubles, saw Elsa How Hong and Mia Mi Lin Siow Yin Young defeat Anna Gladys and Blessing Atchade 21-9, 21-7.
The next Group B match saw South Africa facing Senegal, with South Africa claiming a 5-0 victory. The tie began with men’s singles, where Miguel Vegario defeated Demba Ndiaye 21-7, 21-15. Lee Iman won the women’s singles by defeating Aissatou Faye 21-10, 21-4. In the men’s doubles, Tomosi Gabriels and Laurence Schafer defeated Demba Ndiaye and Lamine Traore 21-13, 21-10. Chloe Rai and Lee Iman continued South Africa’s dominance in the women’s doubles, defeating Khady Dukuray and Aissatou Ly 21-6, 21-9. The final match, mixed doubles, saw Miguel Vegario and Hadia Karim defeat Ali Amadou Kane and Aissatou Faye 21-4, 21-7.
The afternoon session began at 3 PM local time, with four more matches across the two groups.
In Group A, Egypt extended their winning streak with a 5-0 victory over Tunisia, demonstrating their determination as the top seed in this tournament. Similarly, Algeria maintained their dominance with a 5-0 win over Burundi, further consolidating their position in the group.
In Group B, Mauritius secured a 5-0 victory against the host team Senegal, displaying outstanding performance in front of an enthusiastic home crowd. In the final match of the day, South Africa continued their flawless performance with a 5-0 win over Benin, solidifying their position as one of the contenders for the championship.
As the day’s matches concluded, the focus now shifts to tomorrow’s final group stage matches, which are crucial for determining the group standings and setting the stage for the knockout rounds. With the competition intensifying, all teams are eager to solidify their positions and continue their journey toward championship glory.
