Region again represented at junior nationals

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Eastland has a team at the junior badminton nationals after a break of at least 10 years.

The junior nationals started in Palmerston North yesterday.

Eastland are a combined team from Gisborne and Wellington, entered in under-15 events.

Team manager is Cynthia Sidney and the members are Tolaga Bay students Manaia Puha, Hinekotukurangi Newth, Riva-Lee Habib, Journey Waru, Lily Hill and Ema Elliment, and Wellington players Victor Eang, Anaiwan Ojala and Liam Kingston.

They were in a round-robin group with North Harbour and Otago, and lost to both teams 16 matches to 0 on the first day. These results put them in Division 3.

North Harbour 16 Eastland 0

Boys’ doubles: Benzie/Cheng def Eang/Puha 21-3, 21-4; Edwards/Lin def Kingston/Ojala 21-5, 21-1.

Girls’ doubles: Ryu/Zeng def Habib/Waru 21-5, 21-6; Huang/Thien def Elliment/Hill 21-3, 21-8.

Boys’ singles: Kim def Eang 21-2, 21-9; Cheng def Puha 21-6, 21-6; Edwards def Ojala 21-3, 21-7; Lin def Kingston 21-13, 21-5.

Girls’ singles: Ryu def Habib 21-3, 21-2; Meng def Waru 21-8, 21-8; Huang def Hill 21-7, 21-6; Thien def Elliment 21-5, 21-4.

Mixed doubles: Kim/Meng def Eang/Habib 221-2, 21-4; Benzie/Zeng def Puha/Waru 21-4, 21-3; Edwards/Huang def Ojala/Hill 21-7, 21-6; Lin/Thien def Kingston/Elliment 21-3, 21-2.

Otago 16 Eastland 0

Boys’ doubles: Forrester/Alexander def Eang/Puha 21-4, 21-3; Oliver/Brindson def Kingston/Ojala 19-21, 21-15, 21-16.

Girls’ doubles: Quin/Ogier def Habib/Waru 21-1, 21-6; Hayde/Fitzgerald def Elliment/Hill 21-7, 21-7.

Boys’ singles: Forrester def Eang 21-3, 21-4; Alexander def Puha 21-12, 21-4; Oliver def Ojala 21-14, 21-18; Brindson def Kingston 21-14, 21-13.

Girls’ singles: Quin def Habib 21-1, 21-3; Ogier def Waru 21-13, 21-3; Hadye def Hill 21-6, 21-5; Fitzgerald def Elliment 21-2, 21-10.

Mixed doubles: Forrester/Quin def Eang/Habib 21-5, 21-2; Alexander/Hayde def Puha/Waru 21-1, 21-6; Brindson/Ogier def Ojala/Hill 21-8, 21-14; Oliver/Fitzgerald def Kingston/Elliment 21-6, 21-6.