Pinoy shuttlers bag 2 golds in Aussie jrs

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Badminton Association (PBA)-Smash Pilipinas national team grabbed two gold medals and three silvers in the 2015 Victor Australian Junior Badminton Championship at the Ken Kay Badminton Stadium in Ballarat, Australia recently.

National players Eleanor Christine Inlayo and Alyssa Leonardo flashed top form to smother Australian pair Joy Lai and Alice Wu 21-10, 21-15 in the final to capture the women’s doubles gold in the tournament that also drew the leading junior players from Asia.

Leonardo, sustaining her form, then teamed up with Alvin Morada to defeat fellow Filipinos Christian Bernardo and Eleanor Christine Inlayo, 21-19, 21-17, to cop the mixed doubles crown.

“It was a very inspiring finish by our players who won two gold medals and three silvers in Australia,” said PBA sec-gen Rep. Albee Benitez.

Besides Benitez, the PBA is headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay as president and chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, also the chairman of Smart Communications.

Airah Mae Nicole Albo, meanwhile, bowed to Australian Joy Lai, 20-22, 20-22, in the women’s singles finals while Bernardo and Morada dropped a 21-16, 17-21 16-21 decision to the Japanese pair of Kenya Mitsushashi and Koki Watanabe in the men’s doubles.