CCAA Badminton Champions crowned at NAIT
The 2022 CCAA Badminton National Championships concluded on Saturday, March 19, with five championship matches that all went the full distance. The medal rounds capped an exciting tournament at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton, Alberta.
Mixed Doubles
In the first gold medal game of the day, Airi Moromisato and Sirapob Kongubon (Humber College, OCAA) looked to extend their perfect record and claim the championship title. Jack Ronahan and Anna Gillies (UKC, ACAA) weren't going down easily, pushing the match to three games. In the end, Moromisato and Kongubon prevailed to become mixed doubles champions.
Team OCAA's Frederic Houle and Michelle Kozlowskyj (Collège Boréal) were able to claim bronze over team ACAC's Davis Wong and Ivy Ung (NAIT) in a close three-game match (17-21, 21-15, 21-11). Josef Gonzalez and Mintra Taylor (Mount Allison University, ACAA) won the 5/6 match over Shivansh Shivansh and Moominah Ali (NAIT, ACAC).
Women's Doubles
Team OCAA's Victoria Duong and Praanjal Taneja of Humber College battled Team ACAC's Abby Ledda and Cecilia Wolski of The King's University for women's doubles gold. The match went over an hour of playtime between the two teams, resulting in three close games. Duong and Taneja persevered to earn the championship titles (18-21, 21-19, 28-26).
Priyanna Ramdhani and Abbey Taylor of Olds College (ACAC) won the bronze medal game over their competitors Salina He and Katie Liu of Seneca College (OCAA) in a close three-game contest (18-21, 21-16, 21-16). Lindsay Murray and Amber Solomon were able to win fifth place over fellow teammates Taryn Greco and Brianna Warwick, all from Mount Allison University representing the ACAA.
Men's Doubles
The crowd was passionate throughout the men's doubles finals, cheering, chanting, and using various noisemakers to encourage both sides. In another intense three-game match, Akara Chooprawad and Anthony Tso (Seneca College, OCAA) claimed the championship over Bryce Mason and Sam White (UKC, ACAA) (21-19,21-23, 24-22).
San Dang and Arpitraj Sinha of Fanshawe College (OCAA) won the bronze medal match over NAIT's Brandon Gendre and Jay Patel (ACAC). Team ACAC's David Jay and Alex Stewart (The King's University) won the fifth/sixth match over Team ACAA's Kyle Bauld and Adrian Bent (DalAC).
Women's Singles
Team OCAA's I-Ting Liu and Dapasha Prabhjot, both of Seneca College, competed in the gold medal match. It was a close contest between two badminton players that were clearly familiar with each other's game. The match went a full three games with Liu ultimately claiming the national championship (20-22, 21-12, 21-14).
The bronze medal battle was featured two ladies representing team ACAC from Concordia University, Jasleen Kaur and Johnna Rymes. Rymes emerged victorious over her teammate to claim third place. UKC's Fiona Purdy (ACAA) won fifth place over Whitney Doucet of Université Sainte-Anne (ACAA).
Men's Singles
In the final match of the tournament, NAIT's Smit Patel (ACAC) competed against Kunal Sokar of Seneca College (OCAA). Patel, considered the underdog going into this match with a 3-3 record, battled Sokar intensely. In the end, Patel was victorious in claiming the men's singles national championship.
Team OCAA's Yuge Zeng of George Brown College earned the bronze medal against Team ACAC's Narayan Ramdhani of The King's University. Aidan Badcock-Parks was defeated by teammate Jack Gillies of UKC (ACAA) in the fifth/sixth place game.
