This year’s Swindon & District Badminton Association U12 Championships had many enthusiastic youngsters, many in their first event outside club matches, compete for the titles on offer.

Two groups of boys played in a round-robin competition, with the top two of each group going through to a semi final. Highlight of the semi final was a very enjoyable encounter between winner of Group 1, Swindon Junior BC’s Ashley Harrison, and runner-up from Group 2, Wootton Basset Junior’s, William Aitken. A fair amount of energy was expended with some very good rallies. Harrison made his way though to the final 19-21, 21-19 taking the third set 21-17. Group 2 winner, Rhys Jones had a straight sets win over Group 1 runner-up, Alex Quick from Dorcan Juniors. The all Swindon BC final between Harrison and Jones ended in a straight sets victory for Jones 21-14, 21-11.

The Girls singles, didn’t have a large entry on the day, but that didn’t stop Wootton Bassett Juniors, Lucy Aitken from retaining her title. Runner-up was Swindon Junior’s Bethan Knight. Tightest match of the day was the battle for third place as Dorcan Junior’s Kerys Hawker and Swindon Junior’s Derin Eryurylu traded points in a keenly contested match. Both players, in their first tournament, gave the watching spectators a 21-20, 19-21, 21-19 match in favour of Eryurylu.

The Boys Doubles had some typically brave performances from some very young players, as their seemingly limitless energy kept them going. The two strongest pairs on display played out a the deciding match relatively early on in the group as Wootton Bassett players, Ben Pontin and William Aitken, beat Rhys Jones and Ashley Harrison in three sets 14-21, 21-17, 21-14, and continued to win all their remaining matches. The battle for the runners-up position came down the match between Myles Ferris and Alex Quick and the Jones-Harrison partnership who won in straight sets to claim the silver medal. Even the last match on court, between Robert Hawkins, Ben Frost and Andy Zhang, Marcus Rodgers, who were playing for fourth and fifth place, was enthusiastically contested over three sets, as if it were the final itself.

The Girls doubles final saw a straight sets win for Bethan Knight and a second trophy on the day for Lucy Aitken beating Kerys Hawker and Derin Eryurylu.

My thanks to the players from Dorcan, Swindon and Wootton Bassett Juniors, who did enter the competition for providing an insight into the up and coming badminton talent for the future. Also to Becky French who gave up her Sunday to be the ref’s assistant on the day.

SDBA U12 Championship Winners Boys Singles: Rhys Jones (Swindon Juniors) Girls Singles: Lucy Aitken (Wootton Bassett Juniors) Boys Doubles: William Aitken & Ben Pontin (Wootton Bassett Juniors) Girls Doubles: Lucy Aitken & Bethan Knight (Wootton Bassett / Swindon Juniors) Based on information supplied by Simon French.