English gamers of all ages have been in motion just lately on the 2024 European Senior Championship in Belgium, returning house with a exceptional 10 titles.
Main the best way was Rajeev Bagga, who claimed two Gold medals, successful the over 55s blended doubles title alongside compatriot Liz Austin (their opponents Jan-Eric Antonsson and Hanne Bertelsen sadly had to retire through the match by harm), then occurring to win the over 55s males’s doubles title with Henrik Lykke of Denmark.
Bagga was the one participant to return away with a number of titles, however there have been loads of others who excelled throughout a number of occasions.
Within the youthful age teams, England gamers confronted robust competitors from throughout Europe, with an growing variety of ex-pro tour gamers enjoying, however nonetheless managed to attain some nice outcomes. Of specific be aware is Alex Marritt, who got here house with Silver medals within the over 45 males’s singles and the blended doubles, alongside Rebecca Pantaney, as properly a bronze within the over 40 males’s doubles with Paul Le Tocq.
Within the over 35s blended doubles, Nick Hodgson and Sarah Burgess had an ideal run to the semi-finals, earlier than shedding 21-10 22-20 to the second seeds to complete with a well-deserved Bronze.
England’s higher age teams are all the time robust, and didn’t disappoint in Belgium.
In a very robust age group for England, the over 55s introduced house a number of medals. Along with Bagga and Austin’s Gold within the blended doubles, Gold medals additionally went to Caroline Hale within the girls’s singles in a detailed 3-setter towards Germany’s Tanya Eberl, and to Jane Ashfold and Sara Foster within the girls’s doubles, beating compatriots Julie Bradbury and Debbie Miller. To finish the medal haul, Bronzes additionally went to Hale and Austin within the girls’s doubles, Jon Austin and Mark Golds within the males’s doubles, Ashfold and Betty Blair within the girls’s singles, and Jon Austin and Sue Crompton within the blended doubles.
Elsewhere, in her first time enjoying within the European Seniors, Elizabeth MacTaggart received the over 60s girls’s doubles alongside scratch accomplice Maureen Oskam of the Netherlands, which is a exceptional achievement.
Within the over 70s, one other robust age group for England, Christine Crossley got here from behind to be topped girls’s singles over 70 champion, whereas Betty Bartlett and Brenda Creasey took the ladies’s doubles title and Peter Emptage and Graham Holt accomplished the trio of Golds within the males’s doubles. English gamers additionally triumphed within the over 75s blended and girls’s doubles, with Michael Cox and Linda Coombes popping out on high in an all-English affair within the blended doubles, beating Jim Garrett and Mary Jenner, with Sue Awcock and Sylvia Gill triumphing within the girls’s doubles.
If you happen to’re over 35 years of age and thinking about enjoying Masters Badminton, there are many tournaments and county competitions out there. Discover out extra right here: https://www.badmintonengland.co.uk/on-court/masters-competition