TORONTO - The Seneca Sting won their first Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) badminton championship since 1977 on Saturday, earning the women's team championship. Crosstown rival Humber Hawks, three-time defending provincial champions, earned the men's team title.
The 2013 OCAA Badminton Championships were hosted by Centennial College.
A familiar face won the OCAA men's singles championship, as Humber's Tim Chiu, OCAA men's player of the year, went 5-0 in round robin play before defeating teammate and eventual bronze medalist Chris Dupuis 21-8, 21-18 in the semifinals. Chiu won his third OCAA men's singles gold medal in four years in a 21-11, 21-12 victory over silver medalist Sean Irvin of Georgian.
Seneca's Carol Dela Cerna won her first OCAA women's singles title, defeating Valerie Breen of Boreal 21-8, 21-17 in the gold medal match. Dela Cerna earned silver in women's doubles at last year's championships. Breen's silver is her third individual medal, winning singles gold in 2010 before combining for doubles silver the following season. Karen Williams of St. Clair took bronze.
Seneca was also triumphant in men's doubles as Jimin Jung and Ian Tang surprised Humber's Ra Seang and Johnny Truong in the gold medal match 21-16, 23-21. Jung and Tang were the Cinderella team of the tournament after going 2-3 in round robin play. The Seneca duo defeated previously unbeaten and eventual bronze medalists Sam Lamoure and Darshan Selot of St. Clair 21-18, 21-19 in the semifinals, proving it's not how you start, but how you finish.
There was no such drama in women's doubles as Humber's Tracy Wong and Renee Yip started and finished strong, going undefeated. Yip has won four straight gold medals in doubles, three in women's and one in mixed. For OCAA women's player of the year Wong, it marks her third OCAA gold medal after winning in singles play the previous two seasons. Seneca's Katie Liu and Chessy Jian were awarded silver, while Georgian's Rebecca Trischler and Carolyn Tubman earned bronze.
Humber also earned mixed gold, as the team of Ryan Chow and Suzy Yan went undefeated. Yan wins gold for the first time after earning silver and bronze the two previous seasons. Patrick Michel and Jenna Dupuis of Boreal couldn't solve Chow and Yan as they took silver, while Darian George and Luc Su of St. Clair earned bronze.
The OCAA gold medalists will join the Georgian Grizzlies as they host the upcoming Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Badminton National Championship later this month. Boreal's Breen will also compete nationally in women's singles.
OCAA MEDALISTS
Men's Singles
Gold: Tim Chiu, Humber
Silver: Sean Irvin, Georgian
Bronze: Chris Dupuis, Humber
Women's Singles
Gold: Carol Dela Cerna, Seneca
Silver: Valerie Breen, Boréal
Bronze: Karen Williams, St. Clair
Men's Doubles
Gold: Jimin Jung/Ian Tang, Seneca
Silver: Ra Seang/Johnny Truong, Humber
Bronze: Sam Lamoure/Darshan Selot, St. Clair
Women's Doubles
Gold: Tracy Wong/Renee Yip, Humber
Silver: Katie Liu/Chessy Jian, Seneca
Bronze: Rebecca Trischler/Carolyn Tubman,
Georgian
Mixed Doubles
Gold: Ryan Chow/Suzy Yan, Humber
Silver: Patrick Michel/Jenna Dupuis,
Boréal
Bronze: Darian George/Luc Su, St. Clair
OCAA Men's Team Champions
Humber
OCAA Women's Team Champions
Seneca
- OCAA -
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The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) is a recognized leader in intercollegiate athletics in the province, dedicated to student athlete and sport development. The OCAA has 30 members sponsoring 16 league and tournament championships.
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E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com