PANAJI
Smashers emerged champions in the inaugural edition of the Junior Badminton League organised by Panjim Badminton Club in collaboration with Goa Badminton Association and the Sports Authority of Goa. In all, 13 teams competed in the Championship which concluded on Sunday at Indoor stadium, Campal.
The winning team comprised of Anjana Kumari, Mehul Jirage, Sachi Dhavalikar, Vedant Chauhan, Ayaan Shaikh and Daniel Phillips. Panjim Blasters, which had in its fold Sushil Nayak, Ayaan Beig, Shaikh Maaz, Aahana Nayak and Yash Halarnkar, emerged as the runners up team after going down in a closely fought finals.
Young Legends, Ponda (Yasmin Sayed, Parth Kantak, Chetan Magdum, Aashutosh Dhavalikar, Yohann Mayekar and Lesha Lotlikar) who beat Mapusa Dragons (Rhea Mallya, Swapnil Mahadeshwar, Minino D’ Souza, Deepak and Dwayne Nazareth) in the semis play-off won the third and fourth place prizes respectively. Panjim Badminton Club members Sarfraz Sheikh, Sandeep Heble, Krushnan Naik, Parag Chauhan, Sanjay Pai and Hilary Fernandes, Referee Roy Ataide, Sanjay Bhobe, Manager, Bicholim Urban Co-operative Bank; GBA member Dilip Halarnkar, among others graced the closing function.
