Team Goemkarponn
Ponda: Tanaji Sawant and Manjiri Moktali emerged as the standout performers at the Anil Paiginkar Memorial State Badminton Ranking Tournament for Masters (Veterans), held at the Badminton Hall in Ponda, by clinching triple crowns in their respective categories.
Tanaji dominated the 70+ age group, claiming the Men’s Singles 70+, Men’s Doubles 70+ alongside Pradeep Dhond, and Mixed Doubles 65+ with Roseline Bunyan. Manjiri Moktali was equally commanding in her performances, winning the Women’s Singles 55+, Women’s Doubles 55+ with Vrushali Cardozo, and the Mixed Doubles 45+ title, where she partnered Kamlesh Kanji.
Several other players also had a spectacular run, clinching double titles across categories. Cancio Mascarenhas won the Men’s Singles 65+ and paired with Peter Tellis to win the Men’s Doubles 65+. Vrushali Cardozo, aside from her win with Manjiri, also triumphed in the Mixed Doubles 55+ with Agnelo Da Cunha.
Rupchandra Humraskar took home the Men’s Singles 60+ and teamed up with Judy Braganza to win the Mixed Doubles 60+. Kamlesh Kanji claimed both the Mixed Doubles 45+ and Men’s Doubles 45+, while Parag Chauhan bagged the Men’s Singles 45+ and Men’s Doubles 45+.
In the 40+ categories, Vineeta Adpaikar secured victories in both the Women’s Singles 45+ and Women’s Doubles 45+, while Ankush Patil dominated the Men’s Singles 40+ and Men’s Doubles 40+, partnering Kunal Sanvordenkar. Dhanya Balakrishnan also enjoyed a successful tournament, winning the Women’s Singles 40+ and Women’s Doubles 40+ alongside Rashmi Jain.
The tournament showcased competitive spirit and high skill across all age groups, with several other champions making their mark. Notable winners included:
Agnelo Da Cunha, Akshay Prabhu, Ramdas Pandit, Archana Marya, Arnaldo Rodrigues, Ashok Menon, Austin Anthony Fernandes, Ayub C.K., Chinmay Fallary, Darwin Barreto, Hubert Saldanha, Juliana Colaco, Kapil Kanji, Louanne Almeida, Manju Khandeparker, Marina Albuquerque, Milagrina Mascarenhas, Navin Cardoz, Parteek Mahajan, Sandeep Fowkar, Supriya Pai Kuchelkar, and Wilfred Jacques.
The event not only celebrated excellence in veteran badminton but also paid tribute to the legacy of Anil Paiginkar, drawing participation from top masters players across the state and delivering memorable performances on the court.
