Varsity Blues capture third straight badminton championship

TORONTO, Ont. - The Toronto Varsity Blues captured their third straight badminton championship on Sunday afternoon, defeating the McMaster Marauders 6-2 in the gold medal match.

Toronto went unbeaten throughout the championship, topping Pool A with a 3-0 record before defeating the Ottawa Gee-Gees 6-3 in the semifinal.

In the championship match the Varsity Blues got off to a good start when all-star Marcus Waskiw-Ford defeated McMaster’s Clement Chow in straight sets, 21-9, 21-12. The Marauders responded in the second tie as the men’s doubles pair of Desmond Chan and Jacob Kao defeated Andre Chan and Jim Zeng, 21-12, 21-17.

In women’s doubles, Toronto’s dynamic duo of Bethany So and Vivian Kwok defeated Joletta Cheung and Caitlin Sherry in straight sets, 21-19, 21-8. On the men’s doubles side, McMaster’s Muhammed Kamaruddin and Kingsley Wu knocked off Samuel Li and Jack Lin, 21-18, 21-16 to even the championship match at 2-2.

Toronto’s Bethany So and Vivian Kwok then split to each play in singles action, both defeating their opponent easily. So cruised to a 21-8, 21-5 win over Sashini Senarath while Kwok beat Joletta Cheung, 21-9, 21-14 to give the Varsity Blues a commanding 4-2 lead.

Mixed doubles pair Kristy Chan and Jack Lin battled back from a first set loss to boost the Blues’ lead to 5-2 as the pair defeated Sommer Chou and Jacob Kao, 22-24, 21-16, 21-17.

Toronto’s other mixed doubles pair of Giselle Chan and Marcus Waskiw-Ford sealed the deal for the Blues as they knocked off Muhammed Kamarauddin and Vania Wu in straight sets, 21-17, 21-14 to claim the third straight championship for Toronto.

In the bronze medal match, Western, who was 4-0 after pool play but was ousted in the semifinal by McMaster, cruised to a 6-0 match win. Women’s singles players Samantha Zheng and Claudia Tai both swept their ties 2-0.

Tai then paired with Michelle Cheng to win their women’s doubles match 21-17, 21-11. Men’s singles player Sean McGowan won in straight sets 21-17, 21-17 to give Western a 4-0 edge.

In men’s doubles, Avery Lee and Natassapong Petchu came back from a 1-0 deficit to beat Ottawa’s Kevin Cao and Liam Woodside, 13-21, 21-17, 21-17. In the final tie needed, Michelle Cheng and Claudia Tai defeated Chyna Ouimet Liu and Dana Pothier 21-17, 21-11 to secure the bronze medal for the Mustangs.

Final Standings

Gold – Toronto
Silver – McMaster
Bronze – Western
4th – Ottawa
5th – Waterloo
6th – Ryerson
7th – Queen’s
8th – UOIT
9th – Carleton

Most Valuable Players

Bethany So – Toronto
Jack Hall – Western

Rookie of the Year

Cara de Belle – Western
Liam Woodside – Ottawa

Coach of the Year

Jackie Yeung – Toronto

All-Stars

Giselle Chan – Toronto
Cara de Belle – Western
Vivian Kwok – Toronto
Tammy Lai – Waterloo
Emily Lam – Waterloo
Natalie Lam – Waterloo
Bethany So – Toronto
Samantha Zheng – Western
Nathan Cheng – Ryerson
Phillip Choi – Waterloo
Jack Hall – Western
Jacob Kao – McMaster
Sean McGowan – Western
Minh Pham – Ottawa
Marcus Waskiw-Ford – Toronto
Liam Woodside – Ottawa