Nova Scotia player shines

Summerside - Andrew Harding of Halifax, N.S., was the big winner at the 2008 Black Knight Atlantic senior badminton championships here at Three Oaks Senior High School recently.

Harding defeated Elliott Beals of Halifax 2-1 (11-21, 21-18, 21-9) to claim men's singles; teamed with Aine Humble, also from Halifax, to beat Beals and Shirley Thomson of Halifax 2-0 (21- 18, 21-16) in mixed doubles.

Jennifer Medeiros of Halifax won the women's singles title, defeating Thomson 2-0 (21-17, 21-13). Thomson was in three finals, but only managed to win one women's doubles with Renee Hachey of Dieppe, N.B. They defeated Medeiros and Linda Pride of Halifax 2-1 (20-22, 21-13, 21- 17).

Thibideau returns

Leigh Thibideau, formerly of Miscouche and now living in Halifax, was a finalist in men's doubles. But Thibideau and his partner, Ernie Faschoway of Fredericton, N.B., could not defeat Daniel Murphy and Choo Sung Tai, who are also from Fredericton. The score was 2-1 (21-16, 16-21, 21-17).

Thibideau and teammate Jimmy Bass defeated John Browning/John Medeiros 2- 0 (21-17, 21-13) in the masters men's doubles final.

P.E.I. performances

P.E.I. athletes enjoyed strong performances.

Mark Brown of Cornwall made the quarter-finals of men's singles and teamed with Medeiros to reach the quarter-finals of mixed doubles.

Paul Marchbank of Freetown teamed with Mark Barry of Halifax to reach the quarter-finals of men's doubles.

Lisa Waugh of Summerside and Dawna Woodside of Cornwall won the women's doubles consolation. Waugh was also a runner- up in the masters mixed doubles event, teaming with Kevin O'Keefe of Antigonish, N.S.

Andrew Woods from Emyvale lost in the final of the men's singles consolation. Other P.E.I. participants included Patrick Thompson, Kevin Douillette, Andrew Brown, Jordan Cameron, Dakota Cameron, Lynne Fraser, Pauline Hamlin and Karen Gallant.

Over 50 of the top badminton players from the Maritimes took part.