Vitor Tavares takes triple gold

Vitor Goncalves Tavares celebrated a triple crown in the SS 6 category on home soil, as the Brazil Para Badminton International 2018 finished on 12 August in Sao Paulo.

In a competition that saw Japan dominate, the Brazilian bucked the trend by beating Japan’s Yohei Hatakeyama 21-9, 21-13, in the men’s singles. He followed up with another win in the doubles alongside the USA’s Miles Krajewski. The triple was completed when Tavares won the mixed doubles with Peru’s Rubi Milagros Fernandez Vargas, as they overcame Peruvian top seeds Hector Jesus Salva Tunque/Carmen Giuliana Poveda Flores 21-15, 21-16.

Japanese joy

Japan had triple crown winners of their own. Hiroshi Murayama won the men’s singles WH 1 event by getting the better of compatriot Mamoru Oe, 21-13, 21-15. He then combined with Kouhei Kobayashi for the men’s doubles WH 1 – WH 2, easily beating Brazil’s Marcelo Alves Conceicao/Julio Cesar Godoy, 21-15, 21-7.

Murayama also made the mixed doubles final with compatriot Rie Ogura. In one of the toughest matches of finals day, the Japanese needed three games to beat Israel’s Amir Levi/Nina Gorodetzky 17-21, 21-19, 21-14. The victory also gave Ogura her third title following her triumphs in the women’s singles WH 2 and women’s doubles WH 1- H 2 with Ikumi Fuke.

The trebles were not Japan’s only success.

Among the other winners were Daisuke Fujihara (men’s singles SL 3); Ayako Suzuki (women’s singles SL 4 + SU 5); Ikumi Fuke (women’s singles WH 1); Noriko Ito (women’s singles SL 3); Toshiaki Suenaga/Akiko Sugino (mixed doubles SL 3 - SU 5); and Gen Sogaki/Tetsuo Ura (men’s doubles SU 5).

In addition, Mamiko Toyoda shared the women’s doubles SL 3 - SU 5 golden glory with Brazil’s Abinaecia Maria Da Silva, as they beat Toyoda’s compatriots Noriko Ito/Akiko Sugino in a tight match: 22-20, 17-21, 21-19.

Other winners

India’s Sukant Kadam captured the men’s singles SL 4 crown by beating compatriot Anand Kumar Boregowda 21-14, 21-14.

Poland’s world No. 4 Bartlomiej Mroz was the winner in the men’s singles SU 5, as he overcame Japan’s top seed Taiyo Imai 19-21, 21-10, 21-8.

France’s Guillaume Gailly/Mathieu Thomas prevented Kadam and Daisuke Fujihara from getting a double, as they outplayed the Indonesian-Japanese pair in the men’s doubles SL 3 - SL 4 final 25-23, 16-21, 21-14.

Peru’s Carmen Giuliana Poveda Flores justified her top seeding in the women’s singles SS 6, as she stormed past USA’s Katherine Valli 21-7, 21-11.

Complete results from the Brazil Para Badminton International can be found on Badminton World Federation’s website.