Last week, from March 2 to 5, VIU hosted the Canadian Collegiate Athletes Association’s (CCAA) Badminton Nationals in the gym. With 100 matches played over three days, the student athletes competed for the top spot in men’s and women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, revealed Saturday night.
On March 2, during an awards banquet, VIU’s own Melissa Liew (PACWEST) and Graydon Robb were selected among six others as the 2016 Badminton All Canadians. According to the CCAA website, Liew captured gold in women’s singles at the Pacwest championship last month, setting her on track for the Nationals on home court. She also gathered a silver in mixed doubles, and captains the VIU team. Liew was an All Canadian in 2015 alongside her teammate Robb.
In the end, Liew lost to Olivia Lei (OCAA), two-time consecutive Female Player of the Year from Humber College in Ontario, and finishes with silver.
Robb, also an All Canadian last year, was the male player of the year for 2015. Losing in the second match against Ontario’s Owen Kurvits in the semi-finals, Kurvits continued on for gold against fellow Ontarian Wencaho Shi, who took the finals 21-15 and 21-10.
In doubles, the mixed team from Alberta’s Northern Albertan Institute of Technology (NAIT) took gold Saturday night, competing against Humber Colleges’ team. Men’s and women’s doubles gold went to Humber College and NAIT respectively.
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