Gold Rush for Seckin, Oktila – 1st Fazza-Dubai Para-Badminton International: Review

Gold Rush for Seckin, Oktila – 1st Fazza-Dubai Para-Badminton International: Review

Turkey’s Emine Seckin and Indonesia’s Leani Ratri Oktila emerged the stars of the 1st Fazza-Dubai Para-Badminton International 2018 with three gold medals each.

While Seckin excelled in her wheelchair events in singles, doubles and Mixed Doubles, Oktila was the standout performer in her three Standing Lower (SL) categories.

Seckin (featured image) and partner Roberto Galdos (Spain) triumphed in the WH 1 – WH 2 Mixed Doubles final beating Abu Hubaida (India) and Cynthia Mathez (Switzerland) 21-8 20-22 21-14. Seckin then returned for her WH 2 Women’s Singles, where she took on compatriot Narin Uluc and prevailed 21-9 21-16.

Seckin and her partner Henriett Koosz (Austria) had earlier topped the group matches of the WH 1 – WH 2 Women’s Doubles to take the gold. Cynthia Mathez and France’s Emmanuelle Ott won silver.

Oktila, the No.5 seed in the SL 4 – SU 5 Women’s Singles, had the perfect start to finals day winning the first final over top seed Zehra Baglar (Turkey) 21-11 21-7.

She teamed up with compatriot Hary Susanto for the SL 3 – SU 5 Mixed Doubles against France’s Lucas Mazur/Faustine Noel; the top-seeded Indonesians edged out the French in two close games: 21-18 21-18.

Oktila was also successful in the SL 3 – SU 5 Women’s Doubles with Faustine Noel; the Indonesian-French combination outgunned Zehra Baglar and India’s Manasi Girishchandra Joshi 21-17 21-7.

England’s Jack Shephard repeated his two gold medal haul from Spain in the Short Stature (SS 6) category as he once again won both events in Dubai.

Shephard survived a strong challenge from Malaysia’s Didin Taresoh in the second game of the SS 6 Men’s Singles final, 21-7 24-22. Shephard then returned with partner Krysten Coombs for the SS 6 Men’s Doubles final and the England duo beat World champions Chu Man Kai/Wong Chun Yim (Hong Kong) 21-12 21-16.

Malaysia’s Cheah Liek Hou also finished with two gold medals in his two Standing Upper (SU 5) categories.

World champion Cheah overpowered Poland’s Bartlomiej Mroz 21-14 21-9 in the SU 5 Men’s Singles final before returning with compatriot Hairol Fozi Saaba for the SU 5 Men’s Doubles against Indonesia’s Suryo Nugroho/Oddie Kurnia Dwi Listiant Putra. The Malaysians needed 25 minutes to get past the Indonesians, 21-15 21-17.

Hong Kong’s Chan Ho Yuen and Indonesia’s Hary Susanto also won two gold medals each.

Chan won the WH 2 Men’s Singles over Malaysia’s Madzlan Saibon 21-15 21-11 and the WH 1 – WH 2 Men’s Doubles with David Toupe (France) in the closest match of the finals, 21-11 21-23 23-21, over Malaysia’s Saibon and Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli.

Susanto was successful in the Standing Lower (SL) events; winning the SL 3 – SL 4 Men’s Doubles with compatriot Ukun Rukaendi over Nitesh Kumar (India) and Fredy Setiawan (Indonesia) 21-17 21-15. He then teamed up with Leani Ratri Oktila for his second gold.

Switzerland’s Cynthia Mathez won a gold and two silver medals. Mathez prevailed in her WH 1 Women’s Singles final over Austria’s Henriett Koosz.

France’s Faustine Noel also won three medals – a gold, a silver and a bronze.

Click here for results

PARTNERS