Othniel Bailey wins first OECS squash title as SVG tops

Vincentian Othniel Bailey won his first OECS Squash title, as St Vincent and the Grenadines, on its home court at the National Squash Centre at Paul’s Avenue, last weekend, palmed the overall winners’ trophy.

Bailey, who had a good showing at the Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, last month when he finished 17th of 64 entrants, played unbeaten to finish as the current OECS number one.

Facing fellow Vincentian Kevin Hannaway in the final, Bailey triumphed 11-9, 11-8,7-11, 8-11, 11-3.Bailey’s triumph was among multiple titles wins, which helped St Vincent and the Grenadines dethrone the British Virgin Islands, who had held the overall title in 2016 and 2017.

Bailey, the newly installed OECS men’s champion, teamed up with Hannaway, Kai Bentick, Omari Wilson, Bradley Glasgow and Mikal Quashie, to sweep all-comers and replay the teams’ championships.

They had a 5-0 win over the British Virgin Islands and were similarly unblemished (3-0)  against St Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda (4-0).Also, a retake of the men’s 40 and over, also the veterans’ team title, and taking charge of the men’s 50, brought more silverware to these shores.

Reclaiming the men’s 40 and over was James Bentick, who had wins against the BVI pair of Michael Adamson and Dion Anselm, 15-13, 11-6, 11-9 and 11-6, 11-6, 11-5,  respectively.Likewise, Paul Cyrus, a former junior Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) champion, had a hard fought 12-10, 7-11, 11-8, 3-11, 13-11, win over Neville Sorrentino of the BVI in the final, as he took charge of the men’s 50 and over.

Bentick and Cyrus, along with Keith Boyea, Dr Sherian Slater and Greta Primus, outdid the BVI, to win the veterans’ title.

Also representing St Vincent and the Grenadines at the tournament were Dominic Ross and Collin Alexander.The tournament also had participation from St Lucia and Grenada.