Fanus and Thorpe return as Doubles Champions

An ecstatic Corey Fanus and Dakeil Thorpe returned home from the Suriname International 2016 Badminton as Men’s Doubles Champions. The two lead the returning Barbados team in what can be considered an outstanding performance in the event as all members of the team received at least one medal each.

 

20 year old Fanus, the current men’s national singles champion, who was competing in his first Suriname international and Thorpe were able to achieve what they thought was beyond their imagination. They defeated Suriname’s Alrick Toney and Mitchel Wonsodikromo in two straight sets, 21-16 and 21-12. In what was their first Men’s doubles gold medal performance, Thorpe said they had nothing to lose.

 

“This was my first finals in Suriname and I told myself we have nothing to lose. I told Corey let’s just gun it and see what happens and we came out on top.”

 

Speaking to The Barbados Advocate the two players expressed their excitement and the overwhelming emotions of not only taking the title but taking it by defeating the home team. Fanus explained the atmosphere.

 

“The Suriname crowd was loud and very supportive of their team. When they scored a point, there was an uproar of cheers, when we scored a point, there was nothing, just silence.”

 

The two players had to first overcome another home team in the Quarter-Final Alain and Alroy Toney which they did splendidly 21-13 and 21-4. In the Semi-finals they faced off against the Trinidadians Alistair Espinoza and Will Lee and got past them as well in two straight sets 21-13 and 21-14. The journey to the top was one of perfection as the two Barbadian players never dropped a set. Thorpe who is 27 years old, also stated that though they were competing against each other, there was good comradery amongst the players during the competition and support was given to all by all.

 

Fanus also made it to the Quarter-final stage of the Men’s Singles but was defeated by Espinoza 2-1. Thorpe and the reigning national women’s champion Tamisha Williams also made it to the Quarter-Finals of the Mixed Doubles category but were taken out by Wongsodikromo and Santusha Ramzan of Suriname, 21-14 and 21 18.

Williams lost out in the Mixed Doubles but was able to chart her own path in the Women’s Singles category to advance to the Finals. There she met Solangel Guzman of Trinidad and fought hard to take the first set 26-24. Guzman recovered to take the title out of William’s hands however, winning 2-1 after closing out the final two sets 21-12 and 21-5. Sabrina Scott took home a bronze medal after teaming up with Avril Marcelle in the Women’s Doubles.