The Jamaica Badminton Association (JBA) is celebrating the resounding success of the  recent 2024 All-Jamaica Badminton Championships.

 JBA President VJ Tolan expressed his delight at the high level of competition, enthusiastic participation, and support for the event, which showcased the growing interest in badminton in Jamaica.

“We are very pleased with the outcome of the tournament. Our players came out strong and put on some exciting matches which kept the fans and all in attendance engaged throughout the weekend,” Tolan said.

“The All-Jamaica Championships has really given us a good premise to plan for key activities to be executed in 2025, including training programmes and regional championships,” he added.

The tournament served as a celebration of excellence, not only on the court but also off it. Special awards were reintroduced this year, highlighting the contributions of individuals who have propelled the sport forward. Honourees included Audley Astwood and Marcia Williams, who have organised the schools’ badminton league competition for over three decades.

Outstanding players were also recognised, including Tahlia Richardson and Joel Angus, named female and male players of the year, respectively. Rising talents like Amir McBean was awarded Most Outstanding Junior of the Year and Justin Dillon was named Most Promising Junior — both exemplified the sport’s bright future. Other awardees included Neil Lewis (Coach of the Year), Rusty Rust Academy (Club of the Year), and Brianna Burke who received the President’s Award for her exemplary service and ardent commitment as a council member for the past year.

On the court, the competition was fierce. Tahlia Richardson was a standout performer, claiming the Women’s Open singles title with a commanding 21-10, 21-14 victory over Alexandra Beckford. Richardson also triumphed in the Women’s Doubles alongside Breanna Bisnott and the Mixed Doubles with Anthony McNee, capping a stellar tournament.

McNee himself secured the Men’s Doubles title with Kemar Valentine, defeating Craig Allison and Mickhail Williams 21-19, 21-17.

In the Men’s Open final, Joel Angus displayed resilience to edge out Craig Allison in three sets, winning 21-18, 13-21, 21-13 to claim the crown.

The Rising Shuttler category, introduced to spotlight emerging talent, saw Brianna Burke and Samuel Smith take top honours. Burke defeated Sue-Ann Ogle 21-9, 21-18, while Smith secured his title via walkover.

The Junior Championships held earlier in November were dominated by 14-year-old Amir McBean, who captured singles titles at the Under-15, Under-17, and Under-19 levels. McBean’s victories, including a commanding 21-10, 21-10 win over his brother Jorie McBean in the Under-19 final, underscored his prodigious talent. He also teamed with Matheus Smith to win the Under-15 doubles title.

Among the girls, Jade Ranger claimed the Under-19 singles title with a dominant 21-4, 21-4 win over Amelia Dawkins, while excelling in doubles and mixed doubles as well. Sue-Ann Ogle, another standout, secured multiple titles across the Under-15 and Under-17 categories.

Youth champions in other divisions included Justin Dillon (Under-13 boys), Ella Belle Palmer (Under-13 girls), Zachary Gardner (Under-11 boys), and Jillian Yap, who captured both Under-9 and Under-11 girls titles.

The JBA extended gratitude to its sponsors and partners, including Downy, Ariel, Tile City, Cari-Med, Vigorton, Blue Power Group Limited, Catherine’s Peak, Mighty Malt, Quantum Concepts, Star Apple, Bresheh, Kingston YMCA, CPR Med, and the Jamaica Cooperative Credit Union League. Their support was instrumental in the tournament’s success.