Jr. Badminton Action Continues Day 2
By Larry Moko
No one had to work harder at the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic junior high school badminton championships than Jovia Jimlin.
A Grade 9 girls' singles competitor for the Bishop Ryan Celtics, Jimlin played more matches than anyone else in the field en route to winning a silver medal.
It started when she lost her second-round match. That dropped her down to the lower bracket in the double-knockout format.
She then went on a winning streak and made it to the final. Overall, Jimlin had to play 12 matches compared to seven for Michelle Wang of the St. Thomas More Knights who took the gold medal.
Their best-of-three final went down to the wire, too.
"It was so tiring," said Jimlin, who arrived in this country last year from India. "I love badminton. It's the only sport I'm good at."
The BR entrant's second-round loss was against Wang.
"It was a really long day, but nice," Jimlin said.
As for Wang, she was aware of the energy-sapping path her opponent had to travel to reach the finals.
"It was difficult for her," Wang said. "She's really good."
A Grade 10 lefthander, Wang was pleased with the outcome.
"I was definitely nervous," she added. "I did pretty well last year but I got eliminated in the fourth or fifth round. I worked hard since then and here I am today."
Knights coach Lucas Campanella says Wang is an amazing team player who shows dedication and good sportsmanship.
Also on hand for support at the Cathedral gym was Wang's father, Patrick. He would wipe her glasses.
"He's my personal coach," Wang said.
Third place in girls' singles went to Claire Sinnott of More, while Isabella Diuito of the ACMT Jaguars came fourth.
In other Day 2 action, the Cathedral Gaels took top honours in both the girls' doubles and mixed doubles divisions.
The girls' doubles pair of Aliyah Maligalig and Jaden Miniano defeated Elisa Fuchs and Erica Maiorano of the St. John Henry Newman Cardinals in the gold-medal match.
And in mixed doubles, first place went to Jahron Aquino and Leighanne Matias. They topped Maria Dejan and Kevin Versan of the St. Jean de Brebeuf Braves in the final.
Shaunit Ray and Isabella Chartrand of Newman placed third, while Brebeuf's Nicole Britton and Morel Tonleu came fourth.
Two hundred and thirty-four players from eight schools participated in this year's junior tournament.
The points trophy went to Cathedral.
"It's awesome," Cathedral coach Jay Stokl said of his team's two-day performance. "I took a lot of Grade 9s this year, hoping to kind of rebuild the system again. And they got to work right away."
Stokl pointed out that his gold-medallists in junior have older siblings who also won medals at the recent senior championship tournament.
"There is a legacy in those families," he said. "It came down to the older siblings kind of instilling their work ethic into them."
The Bishop Tonnos Titans won the junior title in 2025.
Photos by R.F. (Bob) Butrym, RFB Sport Photography
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