Haldane, Isaacs star at Junior Classics

Top local junior badminton players Mikaylia Haldane and Gerald Isaacs were the stars of the show at the 2011 Sports Development Foundation (SDF)/LIME National Junior Classics, which ended at the Constant Spring Golf Club on Monday night.

The duo, who are expected to lead Jamaica's contingent at the upcoming Pan American Junior Badminton Championships which will be held here from July 24-31, came up trumps after snaring several titles, including the coveted girls' and boys' singles.

Haldane, the current national junior champion, got the better of Sue-Ann Berry 21-12, 21-8 to win the Under-19 girls singles.

She then teamed up with Isaacs to claim the mixed doubles over Dennis Coke and Berry, winning 1-11, 16-21, 21-11.

hampered by injury

Bothered by an old knee injury, which was aggravated during the mixed doubles final and reduced her movement to a hobble, Haldane then teamed up with D'Anna-Marie Edwards to claim the girls' doubles.

They defeated Berry and Diamond Cassanova 14-21, 21-16, 21-14.

In the boys' division, Isaacs recorded a fairly easy singles final win against under-17 player Jonathon Smith, cruising to a 21-7, 21-8 victory.

This was after putting away the reigning national junior champion and top seed, Anthony McNee, 21-19, 21-14 in the semi-finals.

Among the top performers in the lower age groups were the Wilson brothers, Sean and Shane, who earned four titles each.

Sean took the under-15 triple (singles, doubles, mixed doubles), plus the under-17 singles, while the under-13 boys 'Triple Crown' winner, Shane, teamed with his brother to take the under-15 boys doubles.

Alana Bailey also took the triple, in the under-13 girls; and had a bronze-place finish in the under-15 girls' doubles.